President Donald Trump said, as U.S. airstrikes rocked Caracas and targets across the country. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social, adding that more details will be announced at a press conference at 11 a.m.
Explosions were heard in the early hours in Caracas, the nation’s capital, and some parts of the city reported being without electricity.
The Venezuelan government accused the U.S. military of targeting military and civilian locations in Caracas, along with strikes in the states of Aragua, La Guaira and Miranda.
Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, signed a state of emergency, the country’s communications ministry said in a statement, adding that it urged “all social and political forces” in the country to “activate mobilization plans and repudiate” the attack from the U.S.
The capture of Maduro came just days after the Venezuelan strongman said he was open to conducting negotiations with the U.S. regarding drug trafficking and oil. Maduro and Trump spoke over the phone in November.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said that the whereabouts of Maduro and his wife are unknown and demanded proof of life from the Trump administration.
Both the Pentagon and the U.S. Southern Command referred The Hill to the White House when reached for comment. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) said he spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who told him that Maduro was arrested to “stand trial on criminal charges” in the U.S. and that the U.S. strikes in Venezuela were deployed to “protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant.”
“This action likely falls within the president’s inherent authority under Article II of the Constitution to protect U.S. personnel from an actual or imminent attack,” Lee said Saturday morning on social platform X.
Maduro was indicted in March 2020 by the Justice Department on terrorism and drug trafficking charges.
He adds that Maduro has been flown out of the country, though details remain scarce – read Trump’s Truth Social statement in full.
Venezuela announces a state of national emergency and rejects and denounces “military aggression” – it has not yet responded to Trump’s post
“My heart was pumping and legs were shaking,” an eyewitness in Caracas tells the BBC after explosions were heard across the city
