US carries out large-scale strikes in Venezuela amid claims Maduro was captured and flown out

The US carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela early on Saturday, with witnesses reporting several explosions and low-flying aircraft over Caracas and smoke rising from a military hangar. Venezuelan officials said the strikes, which lasted about 30 minutes, also hit the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued an emergency order prohibiting US flights over Venezuela, citing a "potentially hazardous situation" and ongoing military activity. Former US president Donald Trump posted on Truth Social saying Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were "captured" and flown out of the country after the strike, adding the operation involved US law enforcement.

A US official told Reuters Maduro was captured by elite special forces troops. Opposition sources told Sky News they believed Maduro's removal was a "negotiated exit," but there was no immediate confirmation from the Venezuelan government of his capture or departure. Venezuela declared a national emergency, saying it would mobilise to "defeat this imperialist aggression" and accusing the US of attempting to seize strategic resources such as oil and minerals.

The government said the strikes threatened regional peace and endangered millions of lives. The strikes mark a major escalation after months of tension and a US military build-up in the region.

Key Topics

World, Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, Donald Trump, Caracas, Federal Aviation Administration