US President Donald Trump said on a Truth Social post on Saturday morning that Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has been captured.
Trump announced on Truth Social: “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. Details to follow. There will be a News Conference today at 11 A.M., at Mar-a-Lago. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP,” it was added.
This came hours after the capital, Caracas, was shaken before dawn on Saturday, when a series of explosions tore through the city. Just after 2 a.m. local time, loud blasts were reported near major military sites, sending thick smoke into the air and plunging large parts of the capital into darkness as power failed across entire districts.
According to the BBC, the Venezuelan President declared a national emergency and has denounced the attacks as an attempt by the US to “take his country’s oil and minerals.” People across the city posted videos on social media showing windows trembling and walls vibrating as the sound of the explosions rolled through nearby neighborhoods. Videos, filmed from balconies and rooftops, showed brief flashes near heavily guarded areas and fires glowing faintly on the horizon.
Authorities have yet to make a formal statement, but the effects were felt immediately by nearby communities. With electricity still out in many areas, residents ran into the streets, lighting their way with phone screens and car headlights, unsure whether it was safer outside or indoors.
BREAKING: President Trump releases first image of Nicolás Maduro in U.S. custody after capture in Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/2ktugElJvx
— America (@america) January 3, 2026
Trump’s attack on Venezuela?
Officials in the Trump administration confirmed they were tracking the situation closely amid what they described as growing concern following weeks of rising tension with President Nicolás Maduro’s government. US media had also reported from the beginning that it was the Trump administration that ordered a series of military strikes against Venezuelan military sites.
The timing is hardly incidental. The operation came as the United States ramped up pressure on Maduro, whom President Donald Trump has repeatedly branded the leader of a “narco-terrorist” state. In recent weeks, US naval patrols in the Caribbean have stepped up interceptions of vessels Washington says are tied to drug trafficking. The recent seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers under sanctions only added fuel to fire, with Caracas accusing the US of economic aggression and attempts to force regime change.
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