Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has declared a national emergency.
The Venezuelan president has been captured after US strikes on the capital Caracas (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Donald Trump has claimed to have captured the Venezuelan president and his wife during a “large-scale” strike that saw explosions ring out across the capital city of Caracas. Trump says that Nicolas Maduro and his wife are being flown out of the country after the operation by the US military in which several military and civilian targets were reportedly hit.
At least seven explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard soaring through the city at around 2 am local time on Saturday. Trump said on Truth Social: “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.”
Reports suggest Maduro’s capture could have been a negotiated exit
Sky News has reported that Nicolas Maduro’s capture may have been a “negotiated exit”.
The claims come from the Venezuelan opposition.
Maduro has been in power since 2013, taking the leadership over after the death of his mentor and former president Hugo Chavez.
Over the next 13 years, Maduro has become increasingly divisive, especially after the country’s economy collapsed during his tenure.
Venezuela will resist foreign troops, says defence minister
In the wake of a wide-scale attack and the capture of the nation’s leader, defence minister Vladimir Padrino has said that Venezuela will resist foreign troops.
Maduro captured by US Delta Force
President Nicolas Maduro was captured by the US army’s top counter terrorism unit Delta Force, CBS News reports.
The squad is known for high-risk missions like hostage rescue, operating under the Joint Special Operations Command.
Trump’s statement after Maduro ‘capture’
Posting on Truth Social President Trump released a statement following the strikes.
He posted:”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! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
Trump says US has ‘captured’ Venezuelan President Maduro
President Trump claimed that he has captured Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro after their large-scale strikes.
Trump said Maduro and his wife have been put on a plane and are being flown out of the country.
Photos show military bases in flames
More photos show several vehicles burning up into flames at La Carlota air base in Caracas after the US strikes.
Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military base, was also hit, with huge fires engulfing much of the base.
A vehicle burns at La Carlota air base in Caracas after a series of explosions on January 3 (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Smoke raises at La Carlota airport after explosions (Image: AP)
Strikes see tensions rise to new levels
Today’s strikes mark a huge increase in tensions between the US and the South American nation, with Trump’s promise of American action in Venezuela coming true much earlier than many thought.
Alongside sweeping sanctions and pressures for President Nicolás Maduro to stand down, the US has also been targeting alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea.
Last week Trump confirmed the US military had carried out a “hit” in the country where a drug smuggling operation is thought to have taken place.
The president failed to confirm who carried out the strike, but it was widely reported that the CIA was responsible.
Maduro and the Venezuelan government have denied any involvement in drug trafficking and have said that he would work with the US to help tackle the issue.
Maduro calls strikes ‘imperialist attack’
Releasing a statement on the attack, President Maduro condemned the strikes and triggered a national state of emergency.
The statement added that Maduro has “signed and ordered the implementation of the Decree declaring a state of external commotion throughout the national territory”.
It went on: “They have urged all social and political forces in the country to activate mobilisation plans and condemn this imperialist attack”.
Finally, Maduro’s statement added: “The only objective of this attack is to seize control of Venezuela’s strategic resources, in particular its oil and minerals.”
President Maduro condemned the attack (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Venezuela declares national emergency
The Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has declared a national emergency following the US strikes in Caracas.
Madruo denounced the attacks and claimed they were an attempt by the US to take Venezuelan oil and minerals – the world’s largest reserve.
The ‘whole ground shook’ during explosions
Carmen Hidalgo, a 21-year-old office worker, was in Caracas heading back from a birthday party and was left shaken by the round of US ordered explosions.
Speaking to AP her voice trembled as she added: “The whole ground shook. This is horrible. We heard explosions and planes in the distance. We felt like the air was hitting us.”
Photos from the scene show smoke and flames
Photos from the scene show plumes of orange smoke rising up over the capital city.
One picture appears to show the flames still burning in the aftermath of the US strike.
It is not yet known how many people were injured in the explosions.
A fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex, after a series of explosions (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The orange glow engulfed the capital this morning (Image: )
President Trump ordered Venezuela strikes
President Trump ordered strikes on at least seven locations in the Venezuelan capital earlier this morning.
The US action hit prominent targets in Caracas including one of the nation’s largest military bases, according to sources in the Pentagon.
Officials in the Trump administration said they were aware of the explosions in Caracas.
Explosions heard across Venezuelan capital
At least seven explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard around 2am local time Saturday in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas.
People in various neighbourhoods rushed to the streets. Some could be seen in the distance from various areas of Caracas.
Power in a large section of the capital is also reportedly knocked off, with one outage coming near one of the country’s major military bases.
According to local media, explosions were heard outside the capital too. Efecto Cocuyo, a Venezuelan news outlet, reported that explosions also happened in La Guaira, just north of the capital and in Higuerote, a city on the country’s coast.
Welcome to our live blog
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage after several US-ordered explosions went off in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas.
Follow along for all the latest news and updates.
