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US strikes Venezuela, claims capture of Maduro
Iran condemns attacks as blatant violation of Venezuela’s national sovereignty
The United States hit Venezuela with a “large-scale strike” early Saturday and captured its president and his wife who were flown out of the country after months of intense pressure on Venezuela on the pretext of cracking down on drug cartels.
"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 US Law Enforcement," added Trump.
Early Saturday, multiple explosions rang out and low-flying aircraft swept through the Venezuelan capital, as Venezuelan government accused the US of attacking civilian and military installations, calling it an “imperialist attack” and urging citizens to take to the streets.
The attack itself lasted less than 30 minutes and the explosions — at least seven blasts — sent people rushing into the streets, while others took to social media to report what they’d seen and heard. Some Venezuelan civilians and members of the military were killed, according to vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, without giving a number.
With Maduro’s whereabouts not known, the vice president would take power under Venezuelan law.
“We do not know the whereabouts of President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores,” Rodriguez said. “We demand proof of life.”
US Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, would face charges after an indictment in New York. Bondi vowed the couple would “soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.”
Maduro and other Venezuelan officials were indicted in 2020 on “narco-terrorism” conspiracy charges in the US.
US military buildup
The strike came after the Trump administration spent months increasing pressure on the Venezuelan leader, including a major buildup of American forces in the waters off South America and attacks on boats in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean accused of carrying drugs.
Trump has said that the US is engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels and has justified the boat strikes as a necessary to stem the flow of drugs into the US.
Maduro has decried the US military operations as a thinly veiled effort to oust him from power.
Global reactions
Reactions poured in from across the globe over the US capture of Venezuelan president.
Cuba, a supporter of Venezuela and a longtime adversary of the United States, called for the international community to respond to what president Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez called “the criminal attack.”
“Our zone of peace is being brutally assaulted,” he said on X.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry also in the strongest terms condemned the strikes as a blatant violation of the Latin American country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity, calling on the UN Security Council to stop the aggression.
The ministry denounced the strikes as a clear breach of the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter and basic rules of international law, particularly Article 2, Paragraph 4 of the Charter, which prohibits the use of force.
The statement called the US attacks an obvious example of an “act of aggression” that must be explicitly condemned immediately by the United Nations and by all states concerned with upholding the rule of law, peace, and international security.”
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva slammed the US attacks as a "serious affront" to the country's sovereignty, echoing criticism made by fellow regional heavyweight, Mexico.
"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."
Russia condemned the US move and demanded "immediate" clarification about what happened to Venezuelan leader.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said all countries should "uphold international law".
Calling the situation "fast-moving", Starmer added that "the UK was not involved in any way in this operation" as he urged patience in order to "establish the facts".
The EU also called for "restraint" and respect for international law in Venezuela.
"The EU has repeatedly stated that Mr Maduro lacks legitimacy and has defended a peaceful transition" in Venezuela, the bloc's top diplomat Kaja Kallas wrote on X after speaking with her US counterpart Marco Rubio.
"Under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected. We call for restraint," she wrote.