The United States has carried out a series of missile strikes on Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro, flying him out of the country, according to US President Donald Trump.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said: “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. Details to follow.
“There will be a News Conference today at 11 A.M., at Mar-a-Lago. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Explosions were reported in Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, early on Saturday, with residents describing loud blasts across parts of the city.
Trump has repeatedly warned that his administration was preparing to take tougher action against alleged drug trafficking networks operating in Venezuela, saying strikes on land targets would begin soon.
In October, Trump said he had authorised the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to operate inside Venezuela to curb the illegal flow of migrants and drugs from the country.
The latest strikes followed months of US military buildup in the region. The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier and several other warships had been deployed to the Caribbean in recent days.
The United States had also recently seized two oil tankers off Venezuela’s coast and launched strikes on more than 30 boats the Trump administration accused of ferrying drugs.
Trump’s presidency has consistently accused Maduro of drug trafficking and of working with gangs designated as terrorist organisations. Maduro has repeatedly denied the allegations.
On Christmas Eve, Trump warned that if Maduro “plays tough, it’ll be the last time he’ll ever be able to play tough”.