Caracas, Venezuela – The United States carried out a large-scale military strike against Venezuela early Saturday, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in an overnight operation confirmed by both the White House and the Associated Press.
President Donald J. Trump announced the mission hours after it occurred, writing that the United States had “successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader,” and that Maduro and Flores had been “flown out of the country.” The dramatic development marks one of the most significant U.S. military actions in Latin America in decades.
According to an Associated Press report, the strike followed months of mounting pressure on Maduro’s government. Details on the scale and scope of the U.S. operation were not immediately released, but officials described it as a “precision effort” resulting in no reported civilian casualties. The action bore resemblance to the 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama, when American forces captured leader Manuel Noriega — an event that occurred exactly 36 years ago to the day.
Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that Maduro and Flores would face criminal prosecution in the United States following their capture. She said the couple had been indicted in New York and vowed they would “soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.”
Maduro and several top Venezuelan officials were originally indicted in 2020 on federal “narco-terrorism” charges, though it was not previously known that Flores faced similar allegations. Details of the new indictment against her have not yet been released.
President Trump is expected to provide additional details during a scheduled news conference at Mar-a-Lago later today.
The United States confirmed it has captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in a large-scale strike announced by President Trump, with both expected to face charges in U.S. courts.