A fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military installation, is visible from a distance after a series of explosions in Caracas on January 3, 2026.
Stra | AFP | Getty Images
US President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States carried out a major offensive in Venezuela that resulted in the capture and removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
President Trump said in a statement to Truth Social that the Maduros were captured and extradited out of the country following an operation conducted in coordination with U.S. law enforcement officials. No further details were disclosed.
CBS News reported that the US Army’s elite Delta Force unit was involved in the capture of Mr Maduro.
There was no immediate confirmation from the Venezuelan government. However, Maduro’s official Facebook page posted a video saying the attacks occurred in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, according to a translation of the Spanish statement.
The statement in the video said the United States could not achieve its goal of owning Venezuela’s oil and minerals, adding that President Maduro had declared a national emergency and mobilized the national defense force.
An explosion was reported in the Venezuelan capital Caracas at around 2 a.m. local time (6 a.m. GMT), according to images circulating on social media, but could not be independently confirmed.
President Trump has repeatedly threatened action against President Maduro. On December 23, 2025, he said it would be “wise” for Maduro to leave power.
President Trump said in a post on Truth Social that a press conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
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