CBS reported that the U.S. military launched a large-scale military strike against Venezuela early Saturday morning (January 3). U.S. President Trump immediately announced on Truth Social Media that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife had been captured. He said: "The United States has carried out a large-scale operation against Venezuela and its leader, Nicolas Maduro. Maduro and his wife have been arrested and deported from the country. This operation was conducted in cooperation with U.S. law enforcement agencies. Further details will be released later."
Trump is expected to hold a press conference at 11 a.m. Eastern Time at Mar-a-Lago in Florida to provide more details.
Foreign media: US Delta Force kidnaps Maduro
CBS reported that the U.S. military's elite Delta Force participated in the capture operation; this unit was responsible for killing former ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 2019. Trump praised it as a meticulously planned and brilliant operation.
The U.S. Department of Justice indicted Maduro on narco-terrorism charges as early as 2020, accusing him of colluding with armed drug cartels to smuggle cocaine into the United States as weapons. Prior to this, the U.S. military had conducted a military buildup in the Caribbean region for several months and deployed approximately 15,000 troops.
Venezuelan officials have accused the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira of attacks. The statement emphasized that Maduro has declared a state of emergency and mobilized defense forces, and reiterated that the US objective is to plunder Venezuela's oil and mineral resources, but will not succeed.
Venezuelan Vice President demands Trump provide proof of Maduro's survival.
TeleSUR, a television network sponsored by several South American countries and headquartered in Venezuela, released footage showing Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez reiterating in a phone call that she demands the Trump administration provide proof that President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Celia Flores are still alive. She stated: "No foreign government can give orders to Venezuela. No external force can tell us what to do."
This article, titled "US Military Launches Large-Scale Offensive Against Venezuela: Trump Confirms Maduro and His Wife's Capture, Delta Force Involved in the Mission," first appeared on ABMedia ABMedia .
