Trump says U.S. operation captured Venezuela’s president Nicolas Maduro

U.S. President Donald Trump stated Saturday the USA carried out a large-scale strike in Venezuela that resulted within the seize and removing of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Maduro and his spouse had been captured and faraway from the nation following the operation, which was carried out in coordination with U.S. legislation enforcement authorities, Trump stated in a press release on Fact Social. No additional particulars had been supplied.

CBS Information reported that the U.S. Military’s elite Delta Power unit was concerned within the seize of Maduro. The Pentagon declined to reply CNBC’s queries and referred inquiries to the White Home.

Republican Senator Mike Lee, who had earlier questioned if the strike was constitutional, stated Saturday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio advised him Maduro was arrested by U.S. forces and could be dropped at the USA to face felony prices.

He added that the operation “was deployed to guard and defend these executing the arrest warrant.”

“This motion possible falls inside the president’s inherent authority beneath Article II of the Structure to guard U.S. personnel from an precise or imminent assault,” Lee added.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau stated in a put up on X that Maduro would “lastly face justice for his crimes.”

There was no instant affirmation from the Venezuelan authorities. Nonetheless, Maduro’s official Fb web page posted a video stating that assaults occurred within the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, in response to a Google translation of the Spanish-language assertion.

The assertion within the video added that the U.S. wouldn’t achieve its aim of possessing Venezuela’s oil and minerals, and that Maduro had declared a nationwide emergency and mobilized protection forces.

Trump advised the New York Instances that the operation was a results of “a variety of good planning.”

“It was an excellent operation, truly,” Trump advised the Instances.

Explosions had been reported within the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, at about 2 a.m. native time (0600 GMT), in response to photos circulating on social media that might not be independently verified.

Trump has repeatedly threatened motion towards Maduro. On Dec. 23, 2025, he stated it will be “good” for Maduro to go away energy.

Trump stated in his put up on Fact Social {that a} information convention is scheduled for 11 a.m. at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

Trump final month introduced a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers shifting out and in of Venezuelan waters, saying the nation was “fully surrounded by the biggest Armada ever assembled within the Historical past of South America.”

The technique to stress Maduro comes because the U.S. and Venezuela’s opposition say Maduro rigged an election final 12 months to remain in energy. Trump has additionally accused Maduro of operating a “narco-state.”

Colombian President Gustavo Petro stated in a put up on X that Caracas was beneath assault and urged an emergency assembly of the Group of American States and the United Nations.

Maduro, who succeeded Hugo Chavez in 2013, has stated Washington is looking for management of its oil reserves, the biggest on this planet.

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