Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has been captured and flown out of Venezuela after the US carried out a large scale strike on the capital city of Caracas, US President Donald Trump announced.
He added that there will be “further details to follow.”
A CNN team earlier witnessed several explosions in Caracas and reported that some areas of the city were without electricity.
The first blast was recorded at approximately 1.50 AM local time on Saturday (0.50 AM ET).
Trump has repeatedly warned that the US is preparing to take new action against alleged drug trafficking networks in Venezuela.
The Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López had earlier said the US attack on Saturday impacted urban areas across Venezuela, with missiles and rockets fired from American combat helicopters.
He said Venezuela is currently gathering information about the number of people killed and wounded, and confirmed the Fort Tiuna military installation in Caracas was attacked.
Lopez insisted the country would resist the presence of foreign troops in the country.
“This invasion represents the greatest outrage the country has suffered,” he added.
STATEMENT FROM PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP pic.twitter.com/nHDqtsqRFh
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) January 3, 2026
