Washington: Fresh uncertainty gripped Latin America after a series of loud explosions rocked Venezuela’s capital Caracas early Saturday, followed by dramatic claims from US President Donald Trump that American forces had carried out airstrikes and taken Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife into custody.
Posting on his social media platform, Trump asserted that the United States had conducted a “large-scale operation” in Venezuela and that Maduro and his wife had been “captured and flown out of the country.” He said more details would be shared at a press conference later in the day. The White House, Pentagon, and other US agencies, however, had not immediately released any official confirmation supporting the claim.
Soon after Trump’s statement, a photograph began circulating widely on social media, purportedly showing US soldiers detaining Maduro near a military helicopter. The authenticity, timing, and location of the image could not be independently verified, and no official source confirmed the arrest.
Adding to the confusion, Utah Senator Mike Lee said he had been informed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Maduro was arrested by US personnel to face criminal charges in the United States. Venezuelan authorities swiftly rejected the claims, dismissing them as false and provocative, and warned of consequences if foreign powers attempted to undermine the country’s sovereignty.
The dramatic assertions come amid weeks of escalating tension between Washington and Caracas, with Trump repeatedly accusing Maduro of leading what he calls a “narco-terrorist regime.” While explosions and power disruptions were reported in parts of Caracas, the Venezuelan government has not acknowledged any US military action on its soil.
