Explosions Reported in Caracas as U.S.–Venezuela Tensions Escalate

Overview

• Residents reported multiple predawn blasts in southern Caracas with outages near a military site and aircraft overhead, and officials have not stated a cause.
• Maduro said he is ready for "serious" talks with the United States on oil investment, deportation flights and joint counter-narcotics efforts.
• He declined to confirm or deny President Donald Trump's claim of a U.S. strike on Venezuelan territory, which U.S. media reported was a CIA drone attack on a remote pier.
• The U.S. Treasury sanctioned four companies and four tankers linked to Venezuela's parallel fleet, saying the network finances Maduro's government.
• Venezuela announced the release of 88 people detained after the disputed 2024 election protests, while rights groups say hundreds remain behind bars.