US attacks Venezuela: Trump says Nicolas Maduro ‘captured’
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that American forces had “captured” Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during what he described as large-scale strikes on the country.
Trump said Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been flown out of Venezuela.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, who is next in line to succeed the president, said the whereabouts of Maduro and his wife were unknown and called on Trump to provide proof that he was alive.
In a statement, the Venezuelan government said it "rejects, condemns and denounces the extremely serious military aggression" carried out by the US against its territory and population.
"The objective of this attack is nothing other than the seizure of Venezuela’s strategic resources, particularly its oil and minerals, through an attempt to forcibly break the nation’s political independence," the statement said.
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"The attempt to impose a colonial war to destroy the republican system of government and force a 'regime change', in alliance with a fascist oligarchy, will fail like all previous attempts," it added.
Trump announced the operation on his Truth Social platform hours after explosions were reported near civilian and military facilities in the capital, Caracas, as well as in the states of La Guaira, Aragua and Miranda.
Venezuelan officials said several people were killed and wounded in the US attacks, but did not provide a death toll. US authorities said there were no American casualties.
US officials told CBS that the operation to “capture” Maduro was carried out by the elite Delta Force unit. Trump later described the mission as “brilliant” in a phone call with The New York Times.
Sky News reported that senior Venezuelan opposition sources said Maduro’s exit had been “negotiated” with the US.
US Senator Mike Lee of Utah said on X that Secretary of State Marco Rubio "anticipates no further action in Venezuela now".
Lee said he spoke with Rubio by phone and was told that Maduro "will stand trial on criminal charges in the United States".
Following the strikes, Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino said in a video statement that Venezuela would resist the presence of foreign troops, describing the US attacks as “the worst aggression” against the country and announcing the nationwide deployment of military forces.
World reactions
Russia, one of Venezuela's closest allies, condemned the US strikes, calling them an "act of armed aggression" that is "deeply concerning and condemnable".
Moscow said it was "extremely concerned" by the removal of Maduro.
Iran, also an ally of Venezuela, slammed the US for "the flagrant violation of [Venezuela's] national sovereignty and territorial integrity".
Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who Trump previously threatened as the next target after Venezuela, said his country "rejects the aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and of Latin America" and called for the UN and the Organization of American States to convene immediately.
The European Union's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, stopped short of condemning the US, saying that "Maduro lacks legitimacy".
"The EU has repeatedly stated that Mr Maduro lacks legitimacy and has defended a peaceful transition. Under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected. We call for restraint," she said on X.
Germany said it was watching the situation "with great concern".
Spain called for de-escalation and respect for international law.
Months of buildup
Saturday’s US strikes followed months of military escalation, threats against Venezuela and attacks on vessels Washington says were linked to drug trafficking.
In August, the US launched its largest naval buildup in the southern Caribbean in decades, citing efforts to curb drug flows from Venezuela.
Air strikes followed a month later, carried out in international waters - often close to Venezuela’s coast - targeting boats the US said were involved in narcotics trafficking.
Human rights groups say the strikes, which have killed more than 110 people, violated both US and international law.
The operation widened in early December when the US seized a Venezuelan-linked oil tanker off the country’s coast.
Maduro, in power since 2013, has been accused by Trump of leading the Cartel de los Soles, which Washington has designated a foreign terrorist organisation.
In 2020, the US indicted him on corruption and other charges. Washington also imposed sweeping sanctions on his government and offered a $50m reward for information leading to his arrest.
Maduro has repeatedly rejected US allegations, saying the so-called “war on drugs” is a pretext to overthrow his government and seize Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.
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