- President Trump announced via Truth Social that the U.S. conducted a “large-scale strike” on Venezuela, resulting in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were then flown out of the country.
- Reports describe explosions in Caracas, including at military sites like Fuerte Tiuna and La Carlota airport, with plumes of smoke and low-flying aircraft observed.
- This appears to be the culmination of escalating U.S. pressure on Maduro’s regime (accused by the Trump administration of narco-terrorism and drug trafficking), which had built up over months with naval deployments, prior strikes on facilities, and seizures of assets.
- Venezuelan officials denounced it as an “invasion” or “aggression,” with Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López calling for resistance and neighboring leaders (e.g., Colombia’s Gustavo Petro, Cuba’s Miguel Díaz-Canel) condemning the action and urging UN intervention.
Sources reporting this include:
- The Guardian (live updates confirming Trump’s claim and explosions)
- The New York Times (live coverage of the strikes and Maduro’s reported capture)
- Reuters (Trump’s statement and visuals of explosions)
- Al Jazeera, USA Today, and others
The story is fast-moving and highly serious, with international reactions (e.g., condemnation from Venezuela’s government, calls for UN action from neighbors like Colombia).
This is being covered live by sources including CBS News, The New York Times, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, and DW, with reports of ongoing developments like potential casualties, Venezuelan emergency declarations, and international reactions.
Source: Grok
News from Caracas is coming in now.
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