President Donald Trump said on Saturday that US forces had captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro following what he described as a “large-scale strike” against Venezuela
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Maduro and his wife were detained and flown out of the country after an operation carried out in coordination with US law enforcement. He said he would address the public at an 11:00 a.m. news conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
The claim follows months of mounting US military and economic pressure on Maduro’s government and Venezuela’s oil-dependent economy. Trump has previously said it would be “smart” for Maduro to step aside and that his “days are numbered.”
The announcement came two days after Maduro sought engagement with Trump, offering cooperation on drug trafficking and illegal migration.
US military activity in the region has intensified, with a heavy naval and air presence in the Caribbean, the seizure of oil tankers, and airstrikes targeting boats accused of drug trafficking, including a recent strike on Venezuelan soil.
