US President Donald Trump has said American forces carried out what he described as a “large-scale strike” in Venezuela, claiming that President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured during the operation.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, Trump said the operation was conducted in coordination with US law enforcement agencies and resulted in Maduro and his wife being “captured and flown out of the country.”
“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country,” Trump wrote.
Venezuela’s government, however, accused Washington of attacking civilian and military targets across several states, characterising the action as an act of “military aggression.”
According to Al Jazeera, Venezuelan authorities said the strikes affected the capital, Caracas, as well as Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira states, prompting the declaration of a national emergency.
The country’s opposition said it had yet to take an official position on the reported US action.
A spokesperson told media outlets there was no formal response at the time, as uncertainty persisted over reports of explosions and alleged military activity, CNN reported.
Maria Machado, a leading opposition figure and outspoken critic of Maduro, has previously supported months of US military build-up and operations that Washington said targeted narco-trafficking networks.
She described Trump’s actions as “decisive” following the US seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker last month.
Machado was barred by the Venezuelan authorities from contesting the presidential election, a move condemned by opposition groups and several international actors. Her current whereabouts remain unclear, according to Al Jazeera.
Maduro has repeatedly accused the United States of seeking regime change in Venezuela, alleging that Washington aims to gain control of the country’s vast oil resources.
Meanwhile, the US embassy in Bogotá said it was aware of reports of explosions in and around Caracas and reiterated its warning for US citizens not to travel to Venezuela.
In a security notice, the embassy urged Americans currently in the country to leave as soon as it is safe to do so, noting that Venezuela remains under a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory.
The embassy advised US citizens to shelter in place if unable to leave immediately and to maintain multiple lines of communication with family and friends abroad. It also recalled that in March 2019, the US Department of State withdrew all diplomatic staff from Caracas and suspended embassy operations.
Authorities said further details would be provided at a news conference scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday.
Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.