'Maduro, wife captured': Trump says Venezuela leader 'flown out of country'; what he said

US President Donald Trump confirmed that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife have been captured following what he described as a “large scale strike” carried out by the United States against Venezuela.

US strikes rock Venezuela - follow live updates

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement.”

Speaking to the New York Times after the capture, Trump called it a "brilliant operation" and said that a lot of planning went into the strike.


Also read: Who is Nicolas Maduro? Venezuelan president ‘captured’ after US strikes

“A lot of good planning and lot of great, great troops and great people, It was a brilliant operation, actually,” he told the Times.

His remarks came after a series of explosions that rocked Caracas early on Saturday, with at least seven blasts reported across the Venezuelan capital. Low-flying aircraft were seen over the city, and smoke was observed rising from the hangar of a military base. Another military installation was left without power, while large parts of the city experienced electricity outages for hours.

Residents described scenes of panic as the explosions sent people rushing into the streets. “The whole ground shook. This is horrible. We heard explosions and planes,” said Carmen Hidalgo, a 21-year-old office worker. “We felt like the air was hitting us.”

The apparent attack lasted less than 30 minutes, and there was no immediate clarity on casualties or whether further military action was planned.

Ahead of the explosions, the Federal Aviation Administration imposed a ban on US commercial flights in Venezuelan airspace, citing “ongoing military activity”. The FAA later extended the restriction to include Curacao, warning of safety risks. The US Embassy in Venezuela, which has been closed since 2019, also issued an alert advising American citizens to shelter in place.

There was no immediate confirmation from the Pentagon or the White House regarding the strikes. Requests for comment were referred to the White House, while US Southern Command did not respond.

The explosions came amid heightened tensions between Washington and Caracas. The Trump administration has intensified pressure on Maduro, who faces narco-terrorism charges in the United States. US military operations in the region have expanded in recent months, including drone strikes, naval blockades, and attacks on boats accused of carrying drugs.