US President Donald Trump shared the first photo of the “captured” Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima on his Truth Social.
Earlier Saturday, Trump said the Venezuelan president and his wife were being transported by helicopter to a ship and would be taken to New York to face federal charges.
Follow all the live updates on the bombing of Venezuela here
“They’re on a ship, but they’re going to New York. The helicopters took them out,” Trump said in a phone interview with Fox News.
The US is attacking Venezuela
At least seven explosions accompanied by low-flying aircraft were reportedly heard around 2 a.m. (local time) in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, on Saturday. The attacks took place in Caracas and the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, the Venezuelan government said in a statement, according to Reuters.
Power outages were also reported in several neighborhoods following the strikes, according to a CNN report.
Hours after the explosions, Donald Trump confirmed on Truth Social that “the US has successfully conducted a large-scale attack against Venezuela and its leader.” He also said Maduro and his wife were captured and taken out of the country.
Russia demands ‘immediate clarification’
Following Trump’s announcement of Maduro’s capture, the Russian Foreign Ministry called for “immediate clarification” of the situation in Venezuela.
“We are extremely concerned about reports that Venezuelan President Maduro and his wife were forcibly taken out of the country during today’s aggressive actions by the United States. We call for an immediate clarification of this situation,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
What’s next for Maduro?
US Attorney General Pamela Bondi said Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores have been indicted in the Southern District of New York, charging the pair with serious drug crimes against the United States.
In a post on X, Bondi said Maduro faces multiple charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and weapons of mass destruction, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and weapons of mass destruction against the United States.
(This is a developing story. Keep checking back for the latest updates)
