U.S. President Donald Trump says the U.S. military has taken Nicolás Maduro into custody following a large-scale military strike in Venezuela early Saturday morning.
Trump posted on Truth Social that the operation was successful and that Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of the country. He said U.S. law enforcement assisted in the operation and announced a news conference at Mar-a-Lago later Saturday morning.
Residents in Caracas reported hearing multiple explosions and seeing low-flying aircraft overnight. Venezuelan officials said several regions, including the capital and nearby states, were impacted.
The Venezuelan government condemned the attack, calling it a serious act of military aggression and accusing the U.S. of targeting the country’s oil and mineral resources. Just days earlier, Maduro said his government was open to negotiating with the United States after months of U.S. military pressure tied to drug trafficking concerns.
