- By Ajeet Kumar
- Sat, 03 Jan 2026 02:58 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
At least seven explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard around 2 a.m. local time on Saturday in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas. The Venezuelan government accused the United States of attacking civilian and military installations in multiple states.
1. What's going on in Venezuela?
Explosions rock Caracas: The explosions in Caracas occurred within less than 30 minutes. People in various neighborhoods rushed to the streets. while others took to social media to report hearing and seeing the blasts. Two hours later, various areas of the city remained without power, but vehicles continued to move freely.
Smoke could be seen rising from the hangar of a military base in Caracas. Another military installation in the capital was without power.
2. Was the US behind the attacks on Venezuela?
Although the news agency Reuters reported that the US officials confirmed the media outlet about the strikes but an official confirmation from the Pentagon is still awaited.
3. What does the Venezuelan President say?
Venezuela’s government, in the statement, called on its supporters to take to the streets. “People to the streets!” the statement said. “The Bolivarian Government calls on all social and political forces in the country to activate mobilization plans and repudiate this imperialist attack.”
The statement added that President Nicolas 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. He said that the Trump administration want a regime change in order to control country's oil sector.
4. Did the US want regime change in Venezuela?
Saturday’s blasts come as the US military has been targeting, in recent days, alleged drug-smuggling boats. On Friday, Venezuela said it was open to negotiating an agreement with the US to combat drug trafficking.
Maduro also said in a pre-taped interview aired Thursday that the US wants to force a government change in Venezuela and gain access to its vast oil reserves through the monthslong pressure campaign that began with a massive military deployment to the Caribbean Sea in August.
5. Why is the US targeting Venezuela?
Maduro has been charged with narco-terrorism in the US. The CIA was behind a drone strike last week at a docking area believed to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels in what was the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the US began strikes on boats in September.
US President Donald Trump, for months, had threatened that he could soon order strikes on targets on Venezuelan land. The US has also seized sanctioned oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela, and Trump ordered a blockade of others in a move that seemed designed to put a tighter chokehold on the South American country’s economy.
(With inputs from agency)