U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed that the United States carried out a large-scale strike targeting Venezuela, resulting in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.
In a Truth Social post on January 3, Trump said the operation was conducted in coordination with U.S. law enforcement agencies and that President Maduro and his wife were apprehended and flown out of Venezuela.
“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country,” read part of the statement.
Trump announced that more information would be released during a news conference.
Trump Announces Capture of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro
The United States has for years accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of heading an international drug trafficking network, allegations he has consistently denied.
US had previously announced a reward of up to $50 million for information leading to Maduro’s capture.
Trump’s Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau has said Maduro will “finally face justice for his crimes.”
The Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has said the government does not know the current whereabouts of President Nicolás Maduro or First Lady Cilia Flores.
Additionally, Rodríguez said authorities were demanding “immediate proof of life” for both leaders.
On the other hand, Venezuela’s Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino López has ordered the immediate nationwide deployment of military forces following what he described as an unprecedented act of aggression against the country.
He said all military units had been placed on active deployment.
“They have attacked us, but they will not break us,” the defence minister said.
Also Read: Explosions Reported Near Caracas Amid Rising Tensions Between Trump and Venezuela
Russia Denounces U.S.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry has denounced what it termed a US act of “armed aggression” against Venezuela, urging calm and caution while warning that the situation could escalate further.
In a statement on January 3, the ministry said the justifications put forward for the action were unfounded, adding that ideological hostility had overridden pragmatism and the pursuit of stable, predictable relations built on mutual trust.
Also Read: Is Trump Going After Venezuela’s Largest Oil Reserves?
But Who is Nicolás Maduro
Nicolás Maduro Moros is a Venezuelan politician who rose to national leadership after the death of President Hugo Chávez in March 2013, initially serving as interim president before winning election later that year.
Born on November 23, 1962, in Caracas, Maduro began his career as a bus driver and trade union activist, a background that helped shape his image as a grassroots political organizer.
He entered politics in the late 1990s and became one of Chávez’s closest allies, serving first as a National Assembly leader and later as Venezuela’s foreign affairs minister.
Since assuming the presidency, Maduro has presided over a period marked by severe economic contraction, hyperinflation, and prolonged political instability, triggering repeated waves of nationwide protests.
His leadership has been widely criticised, with accusations of human rights violations and claims of electoral irregularities surrounding the 2018 and 2024 polls, leading several countries and international bodies to withhold recognition of his government.
Relations with opposition groups have remained deeply strained, with critics accusing his administration of authoritarian practices.
Maduro’s government has maintained a strong role for the state in the economy, which has struggled under international sanctions and structural challenges.
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