US President Donald Trump on Saturday claimed that American forces had captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro following what he described as a “large-scale strike” against the South American nation.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Maduro and his wife were taken into custody and flown out of Venezuela in an operation carried out in coordination with US law enforcement. He announced that he would hold a news conference at 11:00 am local time at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
Trump later told *The New York Times* that the operation was “brilliant,” crediting extensive planning and US troops. His remarks come amid months of escalating US military and economic pressure on Venezuela, including an expanded naval and aerial presence in the Caribbean.
The claim follows recent US actions targeting alleged Venezuelan drug trafficking routes, including the seizure of oil tankers, aerial strikes on small boats, and the reported destruction of a docking area on Venezuelan soil earlier this week.
Washington has long accused Venezuela of drug trafficking and the seizure of US oil interests. While Trump has repeatedly warned that Maduro’s “days are numbered,” the US government does not recognize Maduro’s legitimacy, a position shared by several European countries.
There has been no independent confirmation of Trump’s claim from Venezuelan authorities or international observers.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Maduro and his wife were taken into custody and flown out of Venezuela in an operation carried out in coordination with US law enforcement. He announced that he would hold a news conference at 11:00 am local time at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
Trump later told *The New York Times* that the operation was “brilliant,” crediting extensive planning and US troops. His remarks come amid months of escalating US military and economic pressure on Venezuela, including an expanded naval and aerial presence in the Caribbean.
The claim follows recent US actions targeting alleged Venezuelan drug trafficking routes, including the seizure of oil tankers, aerial strikes on small boats, and the reported destruction of a docking area on Venezuelan soil earlier this week.
Washington has long accused Venezuela of drug trafficking and the seizure of US oil interests. While Trump has repeatedly warned that Maduro’s “days are numbered,” the US government does not recognize Maduro’s legitimacy, a position shared by several European countries.
There has been no independent confirmation of Trump’s claim from Venezuelan authorities or international observers.
