U.S. Launches Major Strikes in Venezuela as Trump Claims Capture of Maduro

Overview

• Trump announced a large-scale operation and scheduled a briefing for 1 p.m. Brasília time at Mar-a-Lago, with few official specifics released so far.
• Venezuela declared a state of emergency and reported military, government and civilian casualties, as Vice President Delcy Rodríguez demanded proof of life for Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores.
• Witnesses described multiple pre-dawn explosions, aircraft overflights and power outages in Caracas and nearby states, with sites such as Fuerte Tiuna and the La Carlota base cited in local reports.
• Russia, Iran and Cuba condemned the U.S. action, Colombia voiced deep concern and activated border measures, Argentina’s Javier Milei welcomed the capture, and Brazil convened an emergency meeting to assess its position.
• The operation followed months of U.S. buildup in the Caribbean, including the USS Gerald R. Ford strike group and interdiction strikes Washington framed as counter-narcotics.