Following reports of several explosions in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, in the early hours of Saturday morning, President Trump announced on Truth Social that the United States had carried out a “large-scale” military operation in the country, which included the capture of the nation’s President, Nicolas Maduro.
“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country, the President wrote. “This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. Details to follow. There will be a News Conference today at 11 A.M., at Mar-a-Lago. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Venezuela’s government condemned the operation as “very serious military aggression,” insisting that the strikes were conducted to “seize Venezuela’s strategic resources, particularly its oil and minerals, attempting to break the Nation’s political independence by force,” rather than action to combat narco-terrorism.
On December 3rd, the United States issued a travel advisory in which U.S. citizens were “strongly advised to depart immediately.” The U.S. Embassy in Venezuela stated on Saturday that it is “aware of reports of explosions in and around Caracas,” calling Americans remaining in the nation to “shelter in place.”
The Federal Aviation Administration reportedly issued a ban at 1 A.M. (EST) to American aircrafts, prohibiting them from flying “at all altitudes within Venezuelan airspace.”
The State Department in August of 2025, increased the bounty on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to $50,000,000, calling him “the leader of the specially designated global terrorist cartel, de los Soles.”
The socialist was accused of “narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, conspiracy to use and carry machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of a drug crime.”
Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lรณpez dubbed the American military operation an “invasion” in a video message published shortly after the strikes and capture of the nation’s socialist leader.
Republican Senator Mike Lee reportedly spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio following the operation, posting on X: “[The Secretary of State] informed me that Nicolรกs Maduro has been arrested by U.S. personnel to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States, and that the kinetic action we saw tonight was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant. He anticipates no further action in Venezuela now that Maduro is in U.S. custody.”
On his social media, Rubio republished a previous statement he made in July, which read: “Maduro is NOT the President of Venezuela and his regime is NOT the legitimate government. Maduro is the head of the Cartel de Los Soles, a narco-terror organization which has taken possession of a country.”
“A new dawn for Venezuela!” US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said on X. “The tyrant is gone. He will now – finally – face justice for his crimes.”
This is a Developing Story…
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