Caracas Venezuela January 3 2026
United States forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores during a large scale overnight military operation in Caracas according to statements released early Saturday by US President Donald Trump.
Trump said American forces conducted a coordinated strike against targets in Venezuela and apprehended Maduro and Flores before flying them out of the country. He said the operation was carried out with US law enforcement support and that further details would be released at a press conference later Saturday at his Mar a Lago residence in Florida.
Residents of Caracas reported explosions beginning around 2 am local time with blasts heard near major military installations including Fuerte Tiuna the countrys largest military complex and La Carlota airbase. Witnesses reported smoke rising over parts of the city and aircraft flying low for more than an hour.
US officials speaking anonymously to CBS News and Reuters said the raid was led by elite US Army Delta Force units. The officials said the mission was aimed at detaining Maduro amid longstanding US accusations of narco terrorism election fraud and human rights abuses.
The operation followed months of escalating US pressure on the Maduro government. Since August 2025 the Trump administration has deployed military assets to the Caribbean conducted strikes on vessels accused of drug trafficking and imposed a blockade on Venezuelan oil shipments.
Venezuelan officials rejected US claims. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez announced a full deployment of the armed forces and declared a state of external commotion effectively placing the country under emergency measures. Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said the government had not received proof that Maduro and Flores were alive or in US custody and demanded information on their location.
State media in Venezuela condemned the strikes as imperialist aggression and accused the United States of attempting to seize the countrys oil resources. There was no independent confirmation from Venezuelan authorities that Maduro had been captured.
International reaction was mixed. Argentine President Javier Milei welcomed the announcement while Russia expressed concern and described the operation as an act of armed aggression. Governments in the Caribbean including Trinidad and Tobago said they were not involved in the operation.
The strikes come amid disputes over Maduros legitimacy following the contested 2024 presidential election which opposition leaders said was fraudulent. Opposition figures including Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia and Maria Corina Machado have urged the military to withdraw support from Maduro.
As daylight broke armored vehicles were seen near the presidential palace and residents reported power outages in parts of the capital. Analysts warned that the removal of Maduro could trigger instability or resistance from loyalist forces.
The Pentagon declined to comment and referred questions to the White House. US officials have not disclosed where Maduro is being held or whether legal proceedings are planned. The operation marks the most direct US military intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama.
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