- By Ajeet Kumar
- Sat, 03 Jan 2026 03:25 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
US President Donald Trump on Saturday claimed that the US troops captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and flew him out of the country with his wife after a series of airstrikes on the country. In a post on X, he confirmed the attacks in Venezuela and said both Nicolas and his wife were captured and were flown out of the country. However, he did not mention about where the US forces have transported them and added "additional details will be provided later."
What happened in Venezuela?
Several large explosions were heard early Saturday in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. Venezuela, in its first official statement since loud explosions were heard in the capital Caracas, strongly criticised the Trump-led government of the United States, accusing it of carrying out what it described as "extremely serious military aggression".
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Soon after, US media reported that Washington officials had confirmed strikes against Venezuela.
Who is the wife of Nicholas Maduro?
Cilia Adela Flores de Maduro is a Venezuelan lawyer and politician. She is married to the President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro, making her the First Lady.
(Cilia Adela | CREDIT: REUTERS)
Venezuela says it does not know Maduro's whereabouts
Venezuela's Vice President Delcy Rodriguez says the Venezuelan government does not know the whereabouts of Maduro or his wife Cilia Flores.
Rodriguez spoke on Saturday morning in an audio played on state television.
"We demand immediate proof of life of President Nicolas Maduro and the first combatant Cilia Flores," Rodriguez said.
Why did Trump target Venezuela?
The strike came as the Trump administration has escalated pressure on Maduro, who has been charged with narco-terrorism in the United States. The CIA was behind a drone strike last week at a docking area believed to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels, the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the US began strikes in September.
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Trump for months had threatened that he could soon order strikes on targets on Venezuelan land following months of attacks on boats accused of carrying drugs. Maduro has decried the US military operations as a thinly veiled effort to oust him from power.
Venezuela govt reacts to US attacks
Venezuela's government responded to the attack with a call to action. "People to the streets!” it said in a statement. “The Bolivarian Government calls on all social and political forces in the country to activate mobilisation plans and repudiate this imperialist attack.”
The statement added that Maduro had “ordered all national defence plans to be implemented” and declared “a state of external disturbance.” That state of emergency gives him the power to suspend people's rights and expand the role of the armed forces.
(With inputs from agencies)