Key Developments Trump says US forces have captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro after launching a “large-scale strike”; hails “brilliant operation Venezuelan vice president says govt does not know whereabouts of Maduro or his wife; defence minister calls for united front of resistance in the face of “the worst aggression” ever US State Dept deputy chief declares ‘new dawn’ for Venezuela US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that US forces had captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro after launching a “large-scale strike” on the South American country. “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,“ Trump said in a Truth Social post . “This operation was done in conjunction with US law enforcement,” Trump added, saying he would give a news conference at 11:00am (1600 GMT) at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. In a brief phone interview with The New York Times , Trump hailed the “brilliant” operation. “A lot of good planning and a lot of great, great troops and great people,” the paper quoted Trump as saying. “A new dawn for Venezuela! The tyrant is gone. He will now — finally — face justice for his crimes,” US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said on X. Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex, situated in the south of Caracas, and Carlota airbase in the north were among the targets of the strikes. Blasts were also heard in La Guaira, north of the capital, where Caracas’s airport and port are located. A US official said Maduro was captured by elite US special forces troops. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said the government does not know the whereabouts of President Maduro or his wife Cilia Flores, in an audio played on state TV. “We demand immediate proof of life of President Nicolas Maduro and the first combatant Cilia Flores,” Rodriguez said. Meanwhile, Venezuelan Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino López announced a deployment of military forces across the country in a video posted to social media, CBS reported. The defense minister called for a united front of resistance in the face of “the worst aggression” ever against Venezuela. He said all armed forces would be deployed following “Maduro’s orders”. Fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex, is seen from a distance after a series of explosions in Caracas on January 3, 2026. — AFP Separately, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said he ordered the deployment of military forces to the Venezuelan border. Petro described Washington’s actions as an “assault on the sovereignty” of Latin America and said they would result in a humanitarian crisis. The US has not made such a direct intervention in Latin America since the invasion of Panama in 1989 to depose military leader Manuel Noriega. Trump’s stunning announcement follows months of steadily mounting US military and economic pressure on leftist leader Maduro and his country’s oil-export-dependent economy. The US president said in December “it would be smart for (Maduro)” to step down and has also said that the Venezuelan leader’s “days are numbered”. Trump’s claim of Maduro’s capture comes two days after Maduro attempted to engage with Trump, offering cooperation on fighting drug trafficking and illegal migration. The US has accused Maduro of running a “narco-state” and rigging an election. Trump had also repeatedly promised land operations in Venezuela. The Venezuelan leader, who succeeded Hugo Chavez to take power in 2013, has said Washington wants to take control of its oil reserves, the largest in the world. Night view of Caracas taken after a series of explosions heard on January 3, 2026. — AFP The US president said in December “it would be smart for (Maduro)” to step down and has also said that the Venezuelan leader’s “days are numbered”. Trump’s claim of Maduro’s capture comes two days after Maduro attempted to engage with Trump , offering cooperation on fighting drug trafficking and illegal migration. Trump has given differing arguments for his campaign against Venezuela, including the claim that the country is a major drug exporter to the United States and that Venezuela seized US oil interests. Picture of fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex, after a series of explosions in Caracas on January 3, 2026. — AFP The Republican leader has not explicitly called for Maduro’s ouster but the US government, along with many European nations, does not recognize the Venezuelan leader’s legitimacy. A huge naval and aerial presence has been established in the Caribbean, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and other warships. US forces have seized two tankers at sea as part of an oil blockade on Venezuela and killed more than 100 people in aerial strikes to destroy small boats accused of drug trafficking. Trump told reporters on Monday that the United States had hit and destroyed a docking area for alleged Venezuelan drug boats, in what was the first known strike on Venezuelan soil of the campaign.