Overview
- Overnight attacks hit Caracas and nearby sites including military bases, the Higuerote airport area and the port of La Guaira, with videos showing explosions and Venezuela reporting deaths without giving firm totals.
- Trump announced that Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores were captured and flown out of the country, while U.S. media reported Delta Force involvement and a U.S. military source said there were no American casualties.
- Some opposition figures in exile suggested the removal may have been a negotiated exit, a claim that has not been independently verified.
- Venezuela’s constitution points to Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as the interim authority pending elections, and she demanded proof of life for Maduro and Flores as Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López vowed to resist foreign troops.
- Regional reaction quickly split, with Argentina’s Javier Milei welcoming the news and Cuba and Colombia’s Gustavo Petro condemning the U.S. action and urging urgent multilateral discussions, following months of U.S. pressure that included maritime strikes and expanded sanctions.