Maduro captured, taken out of Venezuela in 'large scale' US strike

WASHINGTON/CARACAS -- US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States has struck Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro, who was flown out of the country along with his wife.

"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," Trump said in a Truth Social post, adding that the operation "was done in conjunction with US Law Enforcement."

He also announced a news conference scheduled for 11 am local time (1600 GMT) on Saturday at Mar-a-Lago, Florida.

Low-flying aircraft were spotted, and clouds of smoke were seen following loud explosion sounds at around 2:00 am (0600 GMT) Saturday in Caracas, sending people rushing into the streets and causing brief power outages in parts of the capital, including at a military base.

Shortly after the strike started, the Venezuelan government denounced the "military aggression" by the United States, adding that the strike targeted civilian and military sites in at least four states of the country.

Following Trump's announcement, Venezuelan Vice-president Delcy Rodriguez said on state TV that the government does not know the whereabouts of Maduro and his wife, adding, "We demand proof of life."

Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said in a video posted to social media that the US military on early Saturday rocked urban areas across Venezuela with missiles and rockets. "This invasion represents the biggest insult the country has ever faced," Padrino said. "Far from a supposed fight against narcoterrorism, this deplorable action seeks to force a regime change."

The minister announced a deployment of military forces across the country to resist the presence of foreign troops.

The New York Times reported on Saturday, citing a US government official, that there were no casualties on the US side in the military operation against Venezuela.

The US Federal Aviation Administration on early Saturday morning barred US aircraft from flying at any altitude within Venezuelan airspace following reports of explosions in Caracas, citing "safety-of-flight risks associated with ongoing military activity."

Republican US Senator Mike Lee said on social media Saturday that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had told him Maduro was arrested by US forces to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States, according to multiple media reports.

Over the past months, the United States has maintained a significant military presence in the Caribbean, including the USS Gerald R. Ford, an aircraft carrier, and about 15,000 troops, much of it off Venezuela's coast, purportedly to combat drug trafficking -- a claim Venezuela has denounced as a thinly veiled attempt to bring about regime change in Caracas.