US Strikes Rock Caracas as Trump Says Venezuelan President Maduro, His Wife Captured and Flown Out

US President Donald Trump claimed overnight that American airstrikes on Caracas led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, saying both were removed from the country during a coordinated military operation.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the United States had "successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader." He asserted that Maduro and Flores were taken into custody and flown out following the air assault, but offered no immediate evidence to support the claim.

Venezuelan authorities acknowledged that attacks struck the capital but stopped short of confirming any arrests or detentions of the country's leadership. Officials blamed US forces for the strikes on Caracas while remaining silent on Trump's assertion that Maduro had been captured.

Trump said more details would be shared at a news conference scheduled for 11 am at Mar-a-Lago on January 3, 2026, leaving key questions about the operation unanswered.

Residents in Caracas reported that explosions began around 2 am local time, with low-flying aircraft heard across several districts. Multiple blasts shook buildings, forcing people into the streets amid confusion as fires broke out and thick smoke rose over parts of the city.

Videos circulating on social media showed burning structures and heavy smoke, while witnesses reported at least seven loud explosions. Power outages were reported in neighbourhoods near a major military base in the southern part of the capital during and after the strikes.

With no independent verification from international observers and Venezuelan officials declining to confirm Trump's claims, the status of President Maduro and the country's leadership remained unclear as the situation continued to unfold.