Overview
- President Trump said U.S. forces captured Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores and removed them from the country, and U.S. officials told CBS News he ordered strikes on military targets.
- Independent confirmation of the claimed capture has not been provided, and Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said authorities do not know the couple’s whereabouts and demanded proof of life.
- Residents and journalists reported multiple pre-dawn explosions and low-flying aircraft over Caracas and nearby states, with reported hits near Fuerte Tiuna, La Carlota and Puerto de La Guaira; casualties remain unclear.
- Venezuela’s defense minister accused the U.S. of firing missiles and rockets from helicopters at civilian and military areas and announced a nationwide defensive deployment under emergency measures.
- The FAA barred U.S. commercial flights over Venezuelan airspace, and reactions split internationally as Colombia condemned and moved troops to the border, Argentina’s Javier Milei applauded, and Spain urged de-escalation.