Overview
- President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that a large-scale operation detained Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores and flew them out of Venezuela, saying it involved U.S. law enforcement and promising details at an 11 a.m. briefing at Mar-a-Lago.
- Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said authorities do not know the pair’s whereabouts and demanded immediate proof of life during comments aired on state television.
- Overnight explosions and reported airstrikes rattled Caracas and nearby states, with eyewitness accounts of low-flying aircraft, as Venezuela’s defense minister accused the U.S. of a regime-change attack and alleged military and civilian deaths.
- Foreign Minister Yvan Gil requested an urgent UN Security Council meeting, with Caracas condemning what it calls U.S. military aggression and a violation of sovereignty.
- Independent verification of Maduro’s capture has not been provided, with unconfirmed images circulating online and some U.S. outlets attributing the raid to Delta Force based on unnamed officials.