Venezuela attack: what we know so far as US captures President Maduro
US President Donald Trump has announced that Venezuela’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, along with his spouse, Cilia Flores, has been apprehended and is en route to New York following a “large scale” pre-dawn operation in Caracas and its vicinity. Here’s what we have ascertained up to this point:
Donald Trump confirmed through Fox News on Saturday that Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores have been taken to a ship after their capture by US forces for transport to the United States city.
Previously, the US Attorney General, Pam Bondi, mentioned that the couple would confront criminal charges stemming from a 2020 indictment in New York. Bondi promised via social media that the pair will “soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts”.
Following the military operation, Trump informed Fox News that the US intends to have “very strong involvement” in Venezuela’s oil sector. He stated: “We possess the greatest oil companies in the world, the biggest, the greatest, and we will be deeply involved in it.”
Vice President JD Vance praised the operation, labeling it a “truly impressive effort”. Retweeting Trump’s announcement regarding the action, Vance commented: “The president provided multiple off-ramps but was very clear throughout this entire process: drug trafficking must cease, and the stolen oil must be returned to the United States.”
In a message on X, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed that Maduro was “under indictment for drug trafficking in the United States”. Republican Senator Mike Lee stated on Saturday that Rubio indicated he “expects no further action in Venezuela now that Maduro is in US custody”.
A burnt-out vehicle at La Carlota airbase in Caracas. Photograph: Juan Barreto/AFP/Getty
Venezuela’s administration called upon citizens to resist the US assault and claimed that Washington risks creating chaos across Latin America with “an extremely serious” act of “military aggression”. “The entire nation must mobilize to thwart this imperialist aggression,” they emphasized. They accused the US of conducting a series of strikes against civilian and military targets, primarily focused on the capital, Caracas, before dawn on Saturday.
Explosions and low-flying aircraft were audible in Caracas during the early morning hours of Saturday. The Venezuelan government confirmed in its statement that the city had been attacked, along with three additional states: Miranda, La Guaira, and Aragua.
Venezuela has accused the US of attempting to “gain control” over its resources, particularly its oil and minerals. The nation has urged the international community to condemn what it termed a blatant violation of international law, which put millions of lives in jeopardy.
Shortly after the assaults, Colombia’s president, Gustavo Petro, called for an urgent emergency session of the UN Security Council.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated: “The UK had no involvement in this operation,” further adding, “we should all uphold international law.” France commented that the US action contradicted the principles of international law.
Russia has sought “immediate” clarification concerning the circumstances of Maduro’s capture. Earlier, Venezuela’s Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez, demanded that the US provide “proof of life” for Maduro and his spouse.
Supporting Venezuela, allies Russia, Cuba, and Iran quickly denounced the attacks as a breach of sovereignty. Tehran called upon the UN Security Council to halt the “unlawful aggression”. Among the noteworthy Latin American leaders, Argentina’s President, Javier Milei, praised Venezuela’s newfound “freedom,” while Mexico criticized the intervention, and Brazil’s President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, deemed it as crossing “an unacceptable line”.
Published: 2026-01-03 15:46:00
source: www.theguardian.com
