WEST PALM BEACH, United States: President Donald Trump said Saturday that US forces had captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro after launching a “large-scale strike” on the South American country.
“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 on Truth Social.
“This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement.”
Trump added that he would give a news conference at 11:00 am (1600 GMT) at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, where he is nearing the end of a two-week Christmas and New Year’s vacation, according to AFP.
In a brief phone interview with The New York Times, Trump hailed the “brilliant” operation.
“A lot of good planning and lot of great, great troops and great people,” the paper quoted Trump as saying.
Trump posts photo of handcuffed, blindfolded Maduro
US President Donald Trump posted an image on Saturday showing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in custody aboard a US naval vessel, depicting him wearing a blindfold and handcuffs.
“Nicolás Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, alongside the photograph, which he said was taken hours after US forces detained the Venezuelan leader.
In the image, Maduro appeared to be wearing noise-cancelling earmuffs along with grey Nike-branded sweatpants and a matching jacket.
Trump’s stunning announcement follows months of steadily mounting US military and economic pressure on leftist leader Maduro and his country’s oil-export-dependent economy.
The US president said in December “it would be smart for (Maduro)” to step down and has also said that the Venezuelan leader’s “days are numbered.”
Trump’s claim of Maduro’s capture comes two days after Maduro attempted to engage with Trump, offering cooperation on fighting drug trafficking and illegal migration.
Trump has given differing arguments for his campaign against Venezuela, including the claim that the country is a major drug exporter to the United States and that Venezuela seized US oil interests.
The Republican leader has not explicitly called for Maduro’s ouster but the US government, along with many European nations, does not recognize the Venezuelan leader’s legitimacy.
A huge naval and aerial presence has been established in the Caribbean, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and other warships.
US forces have seized two tankers at sea as part of an oil blockade on Venezuela and killed more than 100 people in aerial strikes to destroy small boats accused of drug trafficking.
Trump told reporters on Monday that the United States had hit and destroyed a docking area for alleged Venezuelan drug boats, in what was the first known strike on Venezuelan soil of the campaign.
Maduro indicted on drug, weapon charges
In a post on X, US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been charged in the Southern District of New York.
The charges include narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the United States.
“They (Maduro and Flores) will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” she wrote.
“On behalf of the entire US DOJ (Department of Justice), I would like to thank President Trump for having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American people, and a huge thank you to our brave military who conducted the incredible and highly successful mission to capture these two alleged international narco traffickers.”
Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York. Nicolas Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess…
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) January 3, 2026
Secretary of State Marco Rubio.Rubio, meanwhile, uploaded a screenshot of one of his old posts on X , which claimed Maduro was not the president of Venezuela. The old post, dated July 27, 2025, reads: “Maduro is NOT the President of Venezuela and his regime is NOT the legitimate government.
“Maduro is the head of the Cartel de Los Soles, a narco-terror organization which has taken possession of a country. And he is under indictment for pushing drugs into the United States,” Rubio added.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 3, 2026
UN Chief alarmed by US strikes
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern over the recent US strikes on Venezuela, warning that such actions could “constitute a dangerous precedent,” his spokesperson said Saturday.
Guterres is “deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected,” spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said in a statement. He urged all parties in Venezuela to engage in inclusive dialogue while fully respecting human rights and the rule of law.
EU urges ‘restraint’
The European Union on Saturday called for “restraint” and respect for international law in Venezuela on Saturday after President Donald Trump announced US forces had captured leader Nicolas Maduro in a large-scale assault.
“The EU has repeatedly stated that Mr Maduro lacks legitimacy and has defended a peaceful transition,” the bloc’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas wrote on X after speaking with her US counterpart Marco Rubio.
I have spoken with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and our Ambassador in Caracas. The EU is closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela.
The EU has repeatedly stated that Mr Maduro lacks legitimacy and has defended a peaceful transition. Under all circumstances, the principles…
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) January 3, 2026
“Under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected. We call for restraint,” she wrote.
Global reaction
Turkey has called on all parties to act with “restraint” after US forces captured Venezuela’s leader Nicolas Maduro and bombed its capital Caracas.
“In order to prevent the current situation from leading to negative consequences for regional and international security, we call on all parties to act with restraint,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Saturday that all countries must “uphold international law” following US President Donald Trump’s announcement that American forces had captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in a large-scale assault.
Describing the situation as “fast-moving,” Starmer stressed that the UK “was not involved in any way in this operation” and urged restraint while the facts were being established.
“I want to speak to President Trump, I want to speak to allies,” the British leader said in brief comments aired on UK television hours after the US attack.
“I can be absolutely clear that we were not involved in that. And as you know, I always say and believe we should all uphold international law.”
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva termed the US attacks on Venezuela as a “serious affront” to the country’s sovereignty. “The bombings in Venezuelan territory and the capture of its president cross an unacceptable line” the left-wing Lula wrote on X, saying they threaten “the preservation of the region as a zone of peace.”
He urged the international community, through the United Nations, to “respond vigorously” to the attacks.
Iran, which maintains close ties with oil-rich Venezuela, said it “strongly condemns the US military attack on Venezuela and the flagrant violation of the country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Colombian President Gustavo Petro called the strike an “assault on the sovereignty of Latin America,” warning it could trigger a humanitarian crisis.
Colombia, currently a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, urged the body to convene “immediately” to address the situation.
Cuba, denounced what it described as “state terrorism against the brave Venezuelan people.” President Miguel Díaz-Canel called on the international community to respond to what he termed a “criminal attack.”
Russia condemned the US action as “an act of armed aggression against Venezuela.” “This is deeply concerning and unacceptable,” the Russian foreign ministry said, adding that the justifications for the attack were “untenable” and reflected ideological hostility rather than pragmatism.
Spain offered to mediate in the crisis, calling for restraint and de-escalation. Madrid said it was ready to assist in the search for a “democratic, negotiated and peaceful solution.”
Germany’s foreign ministry said it was closely monitoring developments with “great concern,” adding that Berlin was in contact with its embassy in Caracas and coordinating with international partners.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s office said she was following the situation closely and remained in constant contact with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, particularly regarding the safety of Italian nationals in Venezuela.
