Overview
- Overnight attacks hit Caracas and multiple northern sites, including Fuerte Tiuna, the La Guaira port and Higuerote airport, with evacuations reported and videos showing explosions and fires.
- Trump announced that Nicolás Maduro and his wife were seized and removed from the country, and U.S. media cited Delta Force involvement, while a military source told the New York Times there were no U.S. troop casualties.
- Venezuelan officials reported civilian deaths, power and internet outages, heavy security deployments and detentions, and they publicly requested proof that Maduro and Cilia Flores are alive.
- Governance is unsettled: the constitution points to Vice President Delcy Rodríguez assuming powers and calling elections within 30 days, the opposition elevates Edmundo González, and the defense minister vowed to oppose foreign forces.
- Reactions are sharply divided, with critics calling the strikes illegal under international law and Italy’s leadership split—Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni deeming a defensive intervention legitimate—while rights groups highlight risks to civilians and political prisoners.