Trump announces capture of Venezuela’s Maduro during U.S. military strikes

President Trump said Saturday that U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, during a “large scale” U.S. military operation inside Venezuela carried out in the early morning hours, marking a dramatic escalation in a months-long confrontation between Washington and Caracas.

“This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social, adding that more details would be released at a press conference scheduled for 11 a.m.

The announcement came as residents of Caracas reported explosions overnight and widespread power outages in parts of the capital. Venezuelan officials accused the U.S. military of striking both military and civilian locations in Caracas, as well as targets in the states of Aragua, La Guaira, and Miranda.

The Venezuelan government said Maduro signed a state of emergency following the attacks. In a statement, the country’s communications ministry urged “all social and political forces” to “activate mobilization plans and repudiate” what it described as a U.S. assault.

Confusion surrounded Maduro’s status in the hours after Trump’s announcement. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said the government did not know the whereabouts of Maduro or his wife and demanded proof that they were alive.

The Trump administration, however, maintained that Maduro was in U.S. custody. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) said he spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who told him Maduro had been arrested to “stand trial on criminal charges” in the United States. Lee said U.S. military strikes were conducted to “protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant.”

“This action likely falls within the president’s inherent authority under Article II of the Constitution to protect U.S. personnel from an actual or imminent attack,” Lee said.

Attorney General Pam Bondi later confirmed that Maduro and Flores had been indicted on narco-terrorism-related charges in the Southern District of New York. According to Bondi, the charges include narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess those weapons against the United States.

“They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” Bondi said in a statement, thanking Trump and U.S. military personnel for what she described as a successful mission.

Maduro was first indicted by the Justice Department in March 2020 on terrorism and drug trafficking charges. U.S. officials have long accused him of leading a drug trafficking network and have repeatedly described him as an illegitimate leader.

The operation followed months of rising tensions between the two governments. Since August, the U.S. military has expanded its presence in the U.S. Southern Command region, deploying warships, a submarine, F-35 fighter jets, MQ-9 Reaper drones, and surveillance aircraft. The administration has said the buildup was aimed at curbing illicit drug flows and protecting U.S. interests. About 15,000 U.S. service members are stationed in the region.

Since early September, U.S. forces have conducted at least 35 lethal strikes against suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, killing at least 115 individuals described by U.S. officials as “narco-terrorists.” The CIA also recently carried out a drone strike on a Venezuelan port facility believed to be used by the Tren de Aragua gang, according to U.S. officials.

Trump confirmed in October that he had authorized covert CIA operations in Venezuela and had repeatedly suggested the possibility of strikes inside the country. In late December, he said it would be “smart” for Maduro to leave power, adding that the decision was ultimately Maduro’s.

The capture of Maduro came just days after he indicated openness to negotiations with the United States on drug trafficking and oil. Maduro and Trump spoke by phone in November.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Maduro was in U.S. custody and praised the operation.

“Nicolas Maduro wasn’t just an illegitimate dictator; he also ran a vast drug-trafficking operation,” Cotton said, noting that Maduro had been indicted nearly six years ago. Cotton said he also spoke with Rubio following the operation and urged Venezuela’s interim leadership to abandon drug trafficking and ties with adversaries such as Iran and Cuba.

Trump is expected to address the nation later Saturday morning as questions remain about the scope of the military action, the status of Maduro and his wife, and how Venezuela’s government will respond to the unprecedented move.