Trump says US captured Venezuela president & wife, flew them out of the country after air strikes

The U.S. has captured Venezuela's president Nicolas Maduro, U.S. president Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post on Jan. 2 (U.S. time).

Maduro was captured along with his wife and flown out of the country "in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement", he added, saying that more details will follow in a press conference to be held at midnight on Jan. 4 (Singapore time).

The capture comes amidst large scale strikes by U.S. troops on Venezuela's capital city of Caracas and the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira in the early morning of Jan. 3 (local time), which prompted the South American country's government to declare a national emergency.

According to Reuters, blasts, aircraft and black smoke could be seen across Caracas from about 2am for roughly 90 minutes.

It is also the first direct U.S. intervention in Latin America since the invasion of Panama in 1989.

This follows months of threats by Trump against Maduro, whom the U.S. accused of rigging an election in 2024 to stay in power.

There has also been increasing military buildup in the region in recent months, including a blockade of Venezuelan oil exports and sanctions against the government.

Top images via White House/Facebook, Nicolás Maduro/Facebook, & Reuters