Early Saturday, President Donald Trump released a statement that immediately caught global attention. He claimed Venezuela’s long-ruling leader, Nicolás Maduro, and Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, were no longer governing the country. According to Trump, they had already been removed.
“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. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement,” President Trump said in a Truth Social statement.
The president said additional information would be shared later during a press conference planned for Mar-a-Lago. His message came shortly after reports surfaced that explosions had shaken Caracas and several other areas in Venezuela earlier that day.
The explosions were not limited to one site. Reports indicated airstrikes hit multiple targets across the capital and nearby regions. Residents described aircraft flying low overhead and widespread power failures. Shortly afterward, images appeared showing presidential guards stationed outside the Miraflores presidential palace as events continued to unfold.
Top U.S. officials quickly echoed Trump’s message. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reposted the Truth Social announcement on X, previously known as Twitter. Their actions made clear this was a formal statement, not speculation.
Nicolás Maduro has remained in power for years through elections that many critics say were staged. His rule has triggered global criticism and serious legal consequences. U.S. authorities have charged him with multiple narco-terrorism crimes. The United States has also offered a $50 million reward for information leading to his arrest or conviction.
VISIT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELThat reward stems from a 2020 case brought by U.S. prosecutors. Courts accused Maduro of holding a key leadership role in the Cartel of the Suns. The group was described as an international drug trafficking network involving high-ranking Venezuelan officials. Prosecutors said the cartel worked to “flood” the United States with cocaine to damage the country and its people.
As these reports spread, Venezuela’s socialist government remained silent. Meanwhile, the Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional reported that large areas of Caracas were without electricity early Saturday. Dozens of people were seen leaving Fuerte Tiuna, the nation’s primary military base.
Fuerte Tiuna has long been rumored to contain Maduro’s personal bunker, along with other important government installations. El Nacional also reported that La Carlota, Venezuela’s main military airport, was among the locations struck.
Shortly before Trump’s announcement, Venezuela’s defense minister released a video message. Vladimir Padrino López, who is also wanted by U.S. authorities on drug trafficking charges, addressed the public through Instagram. He strongly criticized the attacks and used severe language to describe them.
He referred to the strikes as an “invasion” and called them “the greatest outrage suffered by Venezuela.”
Padrino López dismissed the narco-terrorism allegations entirely. He said the military action was part of a “regime change” plan meant to “submit” Venezuela to the “American Empire.” The timing of his message stood out, since it appeared just before Trump’s statement was made public.
“Desperation is the invader’s ally. Let us avoid chaos and anarchy. They have attacked us, but they will not break us. We will prevail,” Padrino López said, urging other nations to support Venezuela and condemn the United States.
By Saturday morning, much of the world was waiting for answers. If Trump’s claim proves accurate, it would represent one of the most extraordinary foreign operations in recent American history. If it does not, the fallout remains significant. Either way, Venezuela has entered a moment that will reshape what comes next.
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