Venezuela's President has been captured and flown out of the country with his wife, Cilla Flores, according to President Donald Trump, who confirmed the U.S. has carried out a "large-scale strike" against Caracas early Saturday morning. Maduro earlier declared a national emergency after multiple explosions rocked the capital city. Smoke billowed from a hangar at a military base in the city, while another installation in the capital reportedly lost power, and low-flying aircraft were heard.
Residents in several neighborhoods rushed into the streets, some watching from a distance as the situation unfolded. "The whole ground shook. This is horrible. We heard explosions and planes," Carmen Hidalgo, a 21-year-old office worker, told The Associated Press. "We felt like the air was hitting us." Newsweek contacted the White House and the Pentagon for comment via email outside of regular working hours.
What To Know:
- The explosions come amid recent U.S. military strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro has claimed the attacks were an attempt by the U.S. to take his country's natural resources.
- On Friday, Venezuela signaled its willingness to negotiate an anti-narcotics agreement with Washington. In a prerecorded interview broadcast on Thursday, Maduro accused the U.S. of seeking regime change and access to Venezuela's vast oil reserves through a months-long campaign that began with a military deployment to the Caribbean in August.
- Maduro faces U.S. charges of narco-terrorism. Last week, a CIA drone strike targeted a docking area allegedly used by Venezuelan drug cartels—the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since U.S. strikes on boats began in September.
- President Donald Trump had long warned he might authorize strikes on land targets. The U.S. has also seized sanctioned oil tankers off Venezuela's coast, and Trump ordered a blockade of others in a move aimed at tightening economic pressure on the country.
- 16 min ago
Jan 03, 2026 at 05:23 AM EST
Maduro captured by U.S. Army Delta Force – CBS
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was taken into custody early Saturday by members of Delta Force, the U.S. military’s elite special operations unit, according to U.S. officials speaking to CBS News.
Delta Force, renowned for high-risk missions, previously led the 2019 operation that killed former Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
25 min agoJan 03, 2026 at 05:14 AM EST
In pictures: Caracas military sites in smoke and flames
Images posted on social media show what appear to be the impact of the U.S. strikes on Venezuelan military sites.
- 35 min ago
Jan 03, 2026 at 05:07 AM EST
Americans told to shelter in place, leave Venezuela immediately when safe after atrikes
The U.S. State Department urged American citizens in Venezuela to shelter in place early Saturday following the explosions near Caracas.
In an advisory posted online, officials said the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia, is monitoring the situation and “aware of reports of explosions in and around Caracas.”
The warning comes amid longstanding travel advisories for Venezuela, citing risks such as wrongful detention, torture, terrorism, kidnapping, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, crime, civil unrest, and inadequate health infrastructure.
Citizens have been told to take action: "Do not travel to Venezuela. U.S. citizens in Venezuela should shelter in place and depart immediately when it is safe to do so."
1 hours agoJan 03, 2026 at 04:35 AM EST
Trump says Maduro has been captured and confirms U.S. carried out ‘large-scale strike’
Venezuela's President has been captured and flown out of the country with his wife, Cilla Flores, according to President Donald Trump, who confirmed the U.S. has carried out a "large-scale strike" against Caracas early Saturday morning.
Taking to Truth Social, he said: "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."
- 1 hours ago
Jan 03, 2026 at 04:21 AM EST
Trump gave green light for strikes days beforehand – CBS
Trump authorized U.S. military land strikes in Venezuela several days before the operation took place, according to two officials who spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity due to national security concerns.
Military planners initially considered launching the mission on Christmas Day, but U.S. airstrikes against ISIS targets in Nigeria were prioritized, the sources said.
Additional strike windows opened in the days following Christmas, but the operation was delayed due to unfavorable weather. Officials noted that weather conditions needed to be optimal to ensure mission success.
Newsweek has contacted the White House for a response to these reports.
Maduro claims strikes were attempt to ‘seize oil and minerals’
A statement from President Maduro claims the attacks on Caracas were an attempt to "seize Venezuela's strategic resources, particularly its oil and minerals" and "forcibly break the nation's political independence".
Maduro has "signed and ordered the implementation of the Decree declaring a state of external commotion throughout the national territory."
He added that "all social and political forces in the country" should "activate mobilization plans and condemn this imperialist attack."
1 hours agoJan 03, 2026 at 04:02 AM EST
Cuba responds to ‘bombings and acts of war against Caracas’
Cuba’s Foreign Minister has condemned what he described as "ongoing military aggression by the US against Venezuela."
Taking to X, Bruno Rodriguez said: "We strongly condemn the ongoing military aggression by the US against Venezuela. The bombings and acts of war against Caracas and other locations in the country are cowardly acts against a nation that has not attacked the US or any other country."
1 hours agoJan 03, 2026 at 03:51 AM EST
Trump ordered strikes on Venezuelan military sites – CBS
U.S. officials have told CBS News that President Donald Trump ordered the strikes on Venezuelan military sites.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment when approached by Newsweek.
- 2 hours ago
Jan 03, 2026 at 03:44 AM EST
Venezuelan government responds to strikes
An official statement from the Venezuelan government has just been released.
It reads: "Venezuela rejects, repudiates, and denounces before the international community the extremely serious military aggression perpetrated by the current Government of the United States of America against Venezuelan territory."
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