Venezuela under US Attack, President Nicolas Maduro, Family Indicted on Narco-terrorism and Drug Charges
Moneylife Digital Team 03 January 2026
US president Donald Trump on Saturday claimed that the country had carried out a 'large-scale strike' against Venezuela and captured president Nicolas Maduro, along with his wife, Cilia Flores, marking what would be the most direct US military intervention in Latin America in decades if confirmed.
 
In a post on social media, president Trump says Mr Maduro and his wife had been 'captured and flown out of the country' following an operation conducted in conjunction with US law enforcement agencies. Further details would be shared at a news conference scheduled for 11am local time at president Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
 
“There will be a News Conference today… Details to follow,” the post says, thanking the public for its attention to the matter.
 

The announcement came amid reports of multiple explosions in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, in the early hours of Saturday. Local media and video footage circulating online showed flashes lighting up the night sky, followed by loud blasts and columns of smoke rising from several parts of the city. Power outages were reported in southern areas of Caracas near a major military base.
 
There was no immediate official confirmation from the Venezuelan government regarding the alleged capture. However, Venezuela’s vice-president Delcy Rodríguez says the whereabouts of president Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores were unknown following what she described as US attacks in Caracas as well as in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira.
 
According to a report from Venezuelan daily El Nacional, Ms Rodríguez, speaking in a telephone interview with State broadcaster Venezolana de Televisión, demanded proof of life for president Maduro and Ms Flores from the US government. She also called on citizens to mobilise in what she termed a 'civic-military fusion' to defend the country, the newspaper reported.
 
 
Citing sources consulted by Fox News, El Nacional says the overnight operation involved a significant deployment of US military assets, including Chinook helicopters and special forces units. Separately, media reports noted an expanded US naval and aerial presence in the Caribbean, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford and other warships.
 
 
US has not carried out such a direct intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama that led to the capture of military leader Manuel Noriega. Washington has long accused Mr Maduro of running a 'narco-state' and manipulating elections, allegations the Venezuelan leader has consistently denied. President Maduro, who took office in 2013 after the death of Hugo Chávez, has repeatedly accused the US of seeking control over Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.
 
In a post in X, US attorney general Pamela Bondi says president Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of New York on multiple charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy and weapons-related offences. She says the two would face trial in US courts and praised US military forces for what she described as a successful operation to capture the alleged international narcotics traffickers.
 
 
President Trump’s statement has triggered sharp regional reactions. Colombian president Gustavo Petro expressed deep concern over the developments and called for an urgent meeting of the United Nations (UN), urging adherence to the prohibition of the use or threat of force and a peaceful settlement of international disputes.
 
As of Saturday afternoon, independent verification of president Trump’s claims remained unavailable, and uncertainty persisted over Maduro’s status. The White House has not released additional operational details, with markets and governments across the region closely watching the situation ahead of the promised US news conference.
 
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