United States President Donald Trump has announced that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been captured following U.S. airstrikes on Venezuelan territory, making the claim in a statement posted on his Truth Social page.
In the post, Trump said the United States had “successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader,” adding that Maduro and his wife had been captured and flown out of the country. He said the operation was conducted in conjunction with U.S. law enforcement agencies and promised further details at a news conference scheduled for later in the day at his Mar a Lago residence.
The White House did not immediately issue a formal statement beyond the social media post, while the Pentagon confirmed that U.S. forces had carried out air operations targeting what it described as strategic locations linked to the Venezuelan leadership.
Venezuelan authorities acknowledged that airstrikes had hit a government facility near Caracas in the early hours of Saturday but disputed elements of the U.S. account.
In a brief broadcast, state media said the attack caused casualties and damage to infrastructure, while officials said clarification was still being sought regarding the status of senior government figures.
The airstrikes followed months of heightened U.S. military activity in the Caribbean and northern South America. In recent weeks, Washington had expanded naval patrols and aerial surveillance, citing efforts to disrupt drug trafficking routes allegedly linked to Venezuelan networks.
U.S. Southern Command announced multiple seizures of vessels it said were transporting narcotics, with American officials accusing elements within the Venezuelan state of providing protection for organised crime.
Sanctions targeting Venezuelan military officials and shipping interests were also tightened, while joint maritime operations with regional allies were stepped up. U.S. officials repeatedly warned that stronger action would follow if Caracas continued to pose what Washington described as a security threat.