Trump claims Maduro captured after US strikes on Venezuela

WEB DESK: US President Donald Trump claimed on Saturday that the United States had carried out military strikes against Venezuela and captured its president, Nicolas Maduro, who he claimed was removed from the country following the operation.

In a statement posted on social media, Trump said US forces had launched what he described as a large-scale strike and detained Maduro along with his wife, after which they were flown out of Venezuela. Explosions were reported in the capital, Caracas, and other parts of the country amid the operation.

A new dawn for Venezuela! 🙏 The tyrant is gone. He will now—finally—face justice for his crimes. 🇺🇸🇻🇪 pic.twitter.com/oNhW6b9soh

— Christopher Landau (@DeputySecState) January 3, 2026

There was no immediate confirmation of Trump’s claim from the Venezuelan government.

If confirmed, the action would mark the most direct US military intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama, when US forces ousted military ruler Manuel Noriega.

Washington has long accused Maduro’s government of corruption, drug trafficking, and manipulating elections. Maduro, who came to power in 2013 following the death of Hugo Chávez, has repeatedly rejected those accusations and has instead accused the United States of seeking to seize control of Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, the largest proven reserves in the world.

Web Desk, Reuters