The United States carried out military strikes in Venezuela early Saturday, with President Donald Trump saying Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had been captured during the operation and flown out of the country.
According to US officials, the strikes targeted military and security facilities linked to Maduro's government. Trump said the operation involved US forces on the ground and from the air and described it as successful. He did not provide details on where Maduro was taken or the legal basis for his detention.
Explosions were reported in Caracas and other locations, with residents reporting power outages and heavy security presence. Venezuelan authorities later declared a state of emergency.
The Venezuelan government rejected the US claims, calling the strikes an act of military aggression and demanding proof that Maduro had been captured. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said there was no confirmation of the president's whereabouts and accused Washington of spreading false information.
Casualty figures and the extent of damage were not immediately clear. Venezuelan officials said both military and civilian infrastructure had been affected.
International reaction was mixed. Some governments expressed concern over the use of force and its impact on regional stability, while others called for restraint and diplomatic engagement. Several US lawmakers questioned whether the operation had congressional approval.
As of Saturday evening, there was no independent confirmation of Maduro's capture. The situation in Venezuela remains fluid, with uncertainty over the country's political leadership and security conditions.
