President Donald Trump claimed early Saturday that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife had been "captured and flown out of the Country" following US military action.
Trump posted on Truth Social that Maduro and his wife were “captured and flown out of the Country,” as he publicly acknowledged that the United States had carried out military strikes in Venezuela.
“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,” Trump wrote,
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However, no independent confirmation has yet surfaced from Venezuelan authorities or international observers regarding the alleged capture or removal of the president and his wife.
Notably, Maduro has long been a target of US sanctions and legal action. Back in 2020, he was indicted in an American court on charges related to alleged narcoterrorism.
US official's words on Maduro's 'capture'
US Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a post on X that Maduro and Flores have been indicted in the Southern District of New York. “They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” she said.
Republican Senator Mike Lee earlier said Secretary of State Marco Rubio told him the operation “was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant.” Lee added, “This action likely falls within the president’s inherent authority under Article II of the Constitution to protect U.S. personnel from an actual or imminent attack.”
Rubio himself reposted a statement he made in July 2025: “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 organisation which has taken possession of a country. And he is under indictment for pushing drugs into the United States.”
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US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau also added that Maduro would “finally face justice for his crimes.”
However, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez demanded proof of life and Maduro’s location in an interview with state broadcaster Venezolana de Televisión.
