National emergency declared in Venezuela as US conducts strikes, reportedly captures Maduro and wife

US President Donald Trump has announced that the US carried out a “large-scale strike against Venezuela” and that President Nicolas Maduro and his wife have been captured and removed from the country.

In a statement issued via Truth Social, he said, “This operation was done in conjunction with US Law Enforcement. Details to follow. There will be a news conference today at 11 a.m., at Mar-a-Lago.”

In a brief phone interview with The New York Times shortly after his announcement, Trump hailed what he called a “brilliant operation.”

“A lot of good planning and lot of great, great troops and great people,” Trump told the Times. “It was a brilliant operation, actually.”

According to the Times, Trump declined to answer questions about whether he’d sought congressional authority for the strike, saying he’d address it at his upcoming news conference.

After several explosions rocked the capital, Caracas, plumes of smoke were seen rising early on Saturday morning. A national emergency has been declared.

The Venezuelan government said in a statement that it rejected and denounced US military aggression. The White House and the Pentagon have not yet publicly commented.

President Trump, who has deployed a navy task force in the Caribbean, has repeatedly raised the prospect of ground strikes in Venezuela.

Reports of places hit by strikes include a military airfield in the centre of Caracas, La Carlota and the main military base of Fuerte Tiuna.

Several of the surrounding communities are without power.

Videos of explosions and helicopters flying overhead have been circulating on social media but have not yet been verified.

Journalist Vanessa Silva, who lives in Caracas, told the BBC that she heard a huge explosion “stronger than thunder”, causing her home to vibrate.

“My heart was pumping and legs were shaking,” she said.

The Venezuelan government said the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira were also hit, and that the strikes aimed to seize Venezuela’s oil and minerals.

It said in a statement that it “rejects, repudiates, and denounces before the international community the extremely serious military aggression perpetrated by the current Government of the United States of America”.

Cuba and Colombia have also denounced the attacks. The developments come at a moment of heightened tension between the US and Venezuela.

Washington has conducted a series of strikes on boats in the Caribbean it suspects of carrying drugs.

On Monday, Trump said the US had carried out a strike on a “dock area” linked to alleged Venezuelan drug boats, causing a “major explosion”.

Venezuela’s left-wing President Nicolas Maduro has accused the US of intimidation to bring about regime change in his country.

He has also argued the US seizure of several oil tankers it said were transporting sanctioned oil revealed Washington’s true motivations to control Venezuela’s large oil reserves.

The US has accused Maduro of being personally involved in drug-smuggling and being an illegitimate leader. The results of last year’s presidential election were widely dismissed on the international stage.

Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, denied involvement in the strikes.

“Earlier this morning, Saturday 3rd January, 2026, the United States commenced military operations within the territory of Venezuela. Trinidad and Tobago is NOT a participant in any of these ongoing military operations. Trinidad and Tobago continues to maintain peaceful relations with the people of Venezuela,” the statement read.  (CNN/BBC)