US captures Maduro in major strike, Trump reveals
U.S. Claims Large-Scale Strike Against Venezuela
On Saturday morning, President Donald Trump made a dramatic announcement on Truth Social, stating that the United States had carried out a "large scale strike against Venezuela" and that President Nicolas Maduro and his wife had been captured and removed from the country.
"The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolás Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country," Trump wrote.
Witnesses in Caracas reported hearing explosions and aircraft sounds early Saturday, with some parts of the city experiencing power outages. The first blast was recorded at approximately 1:50 a.m. local time (12:50 a.m. ET). Journalists in the capital noted the sound of aircraft following the explosions.
Before Trump's statement, the Venezuelan government condemned what it described as a "very serious grave military aggression," accusing the U.S. of attacking Caracas and the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira.
In a brief phone interview with The New York Times, Trump praised the operation, calling it "brilliant." He emphasized the planning and the efforts of the troops involved, saying, "A lot of good planning and lot of great, great troops and great people. It was a brilliant operation, actually."
According to the Times, Trump did not answer questions about whether he sought congressional authorization for the strike. He indicated he would address the issue during a news conference scheduled for Saturday at Mar-a-Lago at 11 a.m. ET.
Recent Actions Against Venezuela
In recent weeks, Trump has warned of new actions against alleged drug trafficking networks in Venezuela, suggesting that land strikes will begin "soon." His pressure campaign on Maduro has included attacks that destroyed over 30 boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, which the U.S. claims are part of a counter-narcotics effort.
Last month, Trump ordered a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers arriving in and leaving Venezuela. Additionally, the CIA conducted a drone strike in December on a port facility on the coast of Venezuela, marking the first known U.S. attack on a target within the country.
Ongoing Developments
This story is still developing, and updates will follow.
Contributors to this report include Alejandra Jaramillo, Isaac Yee, Michael Rios, and Laura Sharman.
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