{"id":8847,"date":"2026-01-03T18:13:49","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T18:13:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/2026\/01\/03\/live-updates-trump-says-u-s-to-run-venezuela-after-maduros-capture-in-overnight-attack-nbc-news\/"},"modified":"2026-01-03T18:13:49","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T18:13:49","slug":"live-updates-trump-says-u-s-to-run-venezuela-after-maduros-capture-in-overnight-attack-nbc-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/2026\/01\/03\/live-updates-trump-says-u-s-to-run-venezuela-after-maduros-capture-in-overnight-attack-nbc-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Live updates: Trump says U.S. to ‘run’ Venezuela after Maduro’s capture in overnight attack – NBC News"},"content":{"rendered":"
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1m ago \/ 1:11 PM EST<\/p>\n

Trump draws a parallel between Cuba and Venezuela<\/h2>\n
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Both Trump and Rubio expressed concerns about the leadership in Cuba, which has close economic ties to Venezuela. <\/p>\n

Trump told the news conference it was a \u201cfailing nation,\u201d while Rubio called it \u201ca disaster.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very similar in the sense that we want to help the people in Cuba, but we want to also help the people who are forced out of Cuba and living in this country,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n

Rubio said Venezuelans should declare independence from Cuba, adding that Cubans were among the guards who helped protect Maduro. \u201cIf I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I\u2019d be concerned at least a little bit,\u201d he said, referring to Cuba\u2019s capital city.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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15m ago \/ 12:57 PM EST<\/p>\n

Machado ‘doesn\u2019t have the respect’ to be Venezuela’s leader, Trump says<\/h2>\n
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It would be \u201cvery tough\u201d for Venezuela\u2019s opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Mar\u00eda Corina Machado to become president, Trump told the news conference. <\/p>\n

\u201cShe doesn\u2019t have the support or the respect within the country. She\u2019s a very nice woman, but she doesn\u2019t have the respect,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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19m ago \/ 12:54 PM EST<\/p>\n

U.S. will look to tap Venezuelan oil reserves, Trump says <\/h2>\n
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President Donald Trump says the removal of Venezuela President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro from power will open the door to the country\u2019s vast oil reserves, a move that has the potential to reshape the global energy market.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure and start making money for the country,\u201d Trump said during a press conference in Mar-a-Lago.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were pumping almost nothing by comparison to what they could have been,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Venezuela\u2019s vast oil reserves are the largest in the world, likely the equivalent of about 300 billion barrels, according to the\u00a0Energy Institute<\/a>, a research firm. Those reserves top even the No. 1 OPEC oil-producing country, Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n

Read the full story here.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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28m ago \/ 12:45 PM EST<\/p>\n

Trump ‘not thrilled’ with Putin, says they did not discuss Maduro during recent call<\/h2>\n
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Trump said he had not discussed Maduro during a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not thrilled with Putin,\u201d he said. Asked whether he was mad with his Russian counterpart, Trump replied, “He’s killing too many people.”<\/p>\n

He added that he was “not happy” about the number of people killed in the war in Ukraine. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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29m ago \/ 12:44 PM EST<\/p>\n

Trump says Venezuelan VP sworn in as president and agrees to work with U.S.<\/h2>\n
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Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has been sworn is as president of the country, Trump said today.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s, I guess, the president,” Trump said. “She had a long conversation with Marco and said we\u2019ll do what you need. She had no choice.”<\/p>\n

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has spoken with Rodriguez, and she has agreed to work with the U.S., he added. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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29m ago \/ 12:43 PM EST<\/p>\n

Rubio: Congress was told about Venezuela strikes after the operation<\/h2>\n
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration contacted members of Congress \u201cimmediately\u201d following the operation in Venezuela. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe called members of Congress immediately,\u201d Rubio, a longtime Maduro hawk, said. \u201cThis is not the kind of mission that you can do congressional notification on. It was a trigger-based mission in which conditions had to be met night after night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Marco<\/p>\n

<\/span>Marco Rubio in Palm Beach, Fla., today.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Joe Raedle \/ Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

Speaking alongside Trump, he added that the Venezuelan president \u201chad multiple opportunities to avoid this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was provided multiple very, very, very generous offers, and chose instead to act like a wild man, chose instead to play around,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd the result is what we saw tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Rubio had a message for other foes of the United States. <\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t play games with this president\u2019s office, because it\u2019s not going to turn out well,\u201d Rubio said. \u201cAnd so I hope that you know, you know. I guess that lesson was learned last night, and and we hope it will be instructive moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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43m ago \/ 12:30 PM EST<\/p>\n

Marines, Navy and Air Force involved in operation, Gen. Caine says<\/h2>\n
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As the night began, \u201chelicopters took off with the extraction force, which included law enforcement officers, and began their flight into Venezuela,\u201d Chairman of Joints Chief of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, told the news conference. <\/p>\n

Forces were protected by \u201cthe United States Marines, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force and the Air National Guard,\u201d he said, adding that B1 Stealth bombers were in the sky. <\/p>\n

\n

\"General<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cWe arrived at Maduro\u2019s compound at 1:01 a.m.,\u201d he said, before an \u201capprehension force descended and moved with speed, precision and discipline.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maduro and his wife then \u201cgave up\u201d and were \u201ctaken into custody by the Department of Justice,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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44m ago \/ 12:28 PM EST<\/p>\n

‘We\u2019re not afraid of boots on the ground’ in Venezuela, Trump says<\/h2>\n
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Trump indicated that the U.S. military would be on the ground in Venezuela following strikes on the country. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to have presence in Venezuela as it pertains to oil, because we have to have, we were sending our expertise in,\u201d he said during a press conference today. \u201cSo you may need something, not very much.\u201d<\/p>\n

Earlier, asked whether U.S. troops would be deployed in Venezuela, Trump said, \u201cWe\u2019re not afraid of boots on the ground.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cWe had boots on the ground last night at a very high level, actually, we\u2019re not afraid of it,\u201d he said. \u201cWe don\u2019t mind saying it, but we\u2019re going to make sure that that country is run properly.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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46m ago \/ 12:27 PM EST<\/p>\n

Maduro capture ‘a slap in the face to Putin,’ former Russian official says <\/h2>\n
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The fact the U.S. did not inform Russia about its actions \u201cfelt like a slap in the face\u201d to President Vladimir Putin, the country\u2019s former deputy foreign minister told NBC News.<\/p>\n

\u201cPutin did not expect this,\u201d said Andrei Fedorov. \u201cThe Americans described this option as a last resort and promised to inform Russia of any actions,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, it felt like a slap in the face to Putin,\u201d he said, adding that Trump had betrayed his Russian counterpart.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis situation puts Russia in a very difficult position,\u201d Fedorov, who maintains close ties to the Kremlin, said. Moscow, he added, \u201cwill lose its oil contracts there and its influence.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cTrump will maintain control over Venezuela, and by extension over the world\u2019s largest proven oil reserves,\u201d he said. \u201cThis would mark a major shift in global power. He would be able to set oil prices. And now Russia can be pressured at any moment \u2014 not only over Ukraine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor Russia, the question arises of how to deal politically with Trump and how much he can be trusted on Ukraine,\u201d he added. \u201cWill he betray Russia even if there is an agreement on Ukraine?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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47m ago \/ 12:25 PM EST<\/p>\n

Military studied Maduro for months ahead of operation<\/h2>\n
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The U.S. military spent months studying Maduro to “understand how he moved, where he lived, where he traveled, what he ate, what he wore, what were his pets,” Chairman of Joints Chief of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said at a press conference standing alongside Trump.<\/p>\n

More than 150 aircraft were part of the operation. One U.S. aircraft was hit but remained flyable.<\/p>\n

\u201cOperatives had to choose the right day to minimize the potential for civilian harm and maximize the element of surprise and minimize the harm,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

When the \u201cweather broke just enough,\u201d a path cleared \u201cthat only the most skilled aviators in the world could maneuver through.\u201d At 10:46 p.m. ET, Trump \u201cordered the military to move forward,\u201d Caine added. <\/p>\n

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Trump ordered the operation to move forward at 10:46 p.m. ET last night, Caine said. He added that American forces arrived at Maduro’s compound at 1:01 a.m. ET, or 2:01 a.m. in Caracas.<\/p>\n

“Maduro and his wife, both indicted, gave up and were taken into custody by the Department of Justice, assisted by our incredible U.S. military with professionalism and precision, with no loss of U.S. life,” Caine said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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1h ago \/ 12:12 PM EST<\/p>\n

Hegseth on Maduro: \u2018He effed around and he found out\u2019<\/h2>\n
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In a brief speech, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth praised Trump\u2019s leadership and extolled the efforts of military and law enforcement, saying the raid was \u201cflawlessly executed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hegseth said Trump is \u201cdeadly serious\u201d about stopping the flow of gangs, violence and drugs.<\/p>\n

\"Pete<\/p>\n

<\/span>Pete Hegseth speaks to the press at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Fla., today.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Jim Watson \/ AFP – Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

\u201cNicol\u00e1s Maduro had his chance, just like Iran had their chance until they didn\u2019t, and until he didn\u2019t. He effed around and he found out,\u201d Hegseth said.<\/p>\n

He concluded by saying, \u201cWelcome to 2026, and under President Trump, America is back.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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2h ago \/ 12:04 PM EST<\/p>\n

‘These are decisive hours,’ Venezuelan opposition leader\u00a0says <\/h2>\n
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Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonz\u00e1lez Urrutia<\/a>, who says he won the July 2024 presidential election against Maduro, released a statement on Saturday after the U.S. strikes against the country. The U.S.<\/a> and several other countries called into question the controversial presidential election that Maduro<\/a>\u00a0claimed to have won.<\/p>\n

Retweeting Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Mar\u00eda Corina Machado\u2019s statement about the incident, Gonz\u00e1lez Urrutia wrote: “Venezuelans, these are decisive hours, know that we are ready for the great operation of the reconstruction of our nation.”<\/p>\n

Gonz\u00e1lez Urrutia issued his statement before President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would take control of Venezuela. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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2h ago \/ 12:01 PM EST<\/p>\n

U.S. companies to ‘start making money’ for Venezuela, Trump says<\/h2>\n
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U.S. companies will enter Venezuela, spend billions and \u201cstart making money for the country,\u201d Trump told the news conference, adding that the country’s oil business has been a \u201cbust.\u201d<\/p>\n

The \u201cpartnership\u201d will make the people \u201crich, independent and safe,\u201d he said. Venezuelans living in the U.S. will be \u201cextremely happy,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

The U.S. is \u201cready\u201d to stage a second \u201cand much larger\u201d attack on the country if needed, he said. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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2h ago \/ 11:59 AM EST<\/p>\n

Maduro and his wife will ‘face the full might of American justice,’ Trump says<\/h2>\n
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Maduro and his wife will “face the full might of American justice” and stand trial in the United States, Trump said. <\/p>\n

“Right now, they\u2019re on a ship, they\u2019ll be heading to, ultimately, New York, and then a decision will be made, I assume, between New York and Miami or Florida, but we have people where the overwhelming evidence of their crimes will be presented in a court of law,” Trump said.<\/p>\n

Maduro was indicted earlier today and charged with narco-terrorism and other crimes.<\/p>\n

Trump accused Maduro of allowing drugs to be trafficked into the United States and prompting gang violence in U.S. cities. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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2h ago \/ 11:59 AM EST<\/p>\n

‘It is an act of war’: Former officer questions U.S. strikes <\/h2>\n
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The U.S. strike in Venezuela, which removed President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, has raised questions about executive authority and congressional oversight, according to one former military officer.<\/p>\n

\u201cQuite clearly, it is an act of war,\u201d said retired Col.\u00a0Gregory\u00a0A.\u00a0Daddis. \u201cI think that certainly is not simply within the executive authority, that Congress has to be a part of that conversation, as I would argue, the American public.\u201d<\/p>\n

There has been \u201cvery little debate within the legislative branch,\u201d he told NBC News. \u201cAs far as I can tell right now, the Senate Armed Services Committee wasn\u2019t even notified of the military strike. There\u2019s no congressional oversight or authorization.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The operation also raises broader questions about targeting the head of another sovereign state, he said, wondering whether targeting the head of another sovereign state was \u201cacceptable foreign policy, and is it the norm that any head of state is fair game for the United States?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can simply engage in a series of decapitation strikes and then have show trials in U.S. courts?\u201d he asked. \u201cAnd can the U.S. courts even hold foreign presidents accountable for crimes, not international courts, but U.S. courts? I think there\u2019s a host of questions here that so far have not been answered.\u201d<\/p>\n

Daddis also placed the strike in a historical and strategic context, citing\u00a0the\u00a0Roosevelt Corollary and a long history of U.S. intervention in Latin America.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn many ways, it follows a long history of American interventionism in the Western Hemisphere,\u201d he said, \u201cwhere we have argued that the Western Hemisphere, in its entirety, falls within our jurisdiction to protect U.S. interests.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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2h ago \/ 11:53 AM EST<\/p>\n

Caracas was dark and deadly as raid took place, Trump says<\/h2>\n
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No nation in the world \u201ccould achieve was America achieved yesterday,\u201d Trump told the news conference.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was dark, the lights of Caracas were largely turned off due to a certain expertise that we have,\u201d he said, without giving further details. \u201cIt was dark. It was deadly.\u201d Venezuelan forces were \u201ccompletely overwhelmed and very quickly incapacitated,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot a single American service member was killed, and not a single piece of equipment was lost \u2014 many helicopters, many planes, many people involved in air flight,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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2h ago \/ 11:49 AM EST<\/p>\n

‘We are going to run the country,’ says Trump<\/h2>\n
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The U.S. is \u201cgoing to run the country,\u201d Trump said of Venezuela at a news conference today, following the U.S. capture of the Venezuelan leader.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transitions,\u201d he said. \u201cSo we don\u2019t want to be involved with having somebody else get in and the same situation that we had for the last long period of years.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re there now,\u201d he added. \u201cSo, we\u2019re going to stay until such time as we\u2019re going to run it essentially until such time as a proper transition can take place.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Trump<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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2h ago \/ 11:43 AM EST<\/p>\n

Trump begins address to nation<\/h2>\n
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Trump is beginning to address the nation, speaking from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, standing alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.<\/p>\n

\"Donald<\/p>\n

<\/span>Donald Trump, alongside John Ratcliffe, Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth, speaks to the press in Palm Beach, Fla., today.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Jim Watson \/ AFP – Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

“At my direction, the United States Armed Forces conducted an extraordinary military operation in the capital of Venezuela,” Trump said. “Overwhelming American military power, air, land and sea, was used to launch a spectacular assault, and it was a an assault like people have not seen since World War II.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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2h ago \/ 11:37 AM EST<\/p>\n

JetBlue, United and Southwest address flight cancellations <\/h2>\n
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JetBlue, United and Southwest airlines all issued statements about a wave of flight cancellations in the Caribbean, Central American and South American regions.<\/p>\n

JetBlue said in a statement that it canceled roughly 215 flights in the regions, and that affected customers can rebook their travel or request a refund. Flights into and out of the Dominican Republic and Jamaica remain unaffected, the airline said.<\/p>\n

United said that it was “adjusting its schedule to account for airspace closures in the Venezuela region on Saturday.” Some of United’s flights to and from countries including Aruba, Antigua, Barbados, Cura\u00e7ao, Dominica, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia and Trinidad have been disrupted, according to the company’s website. <\/p>\n

Southwest said it canceled all of its flights to and from Queen Beatrix International Airport in Aruba, and suspended flights to and from Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in Puerto Rico until 3:30\u00a0p.m.\u00a0Central Time. The airline said flights to and from the Punta Cana International Airport in the Dominican Republic remain unaffected.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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2h ago \/ 11:36 AM EST<\/p>\n

Trump posts photo of appearing to show Maduro in U.S. captivity <\/h2>\n
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President Donald Trump posted a photo on Truth Social today appearing to show Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro in captivity.<\/p>\n

\"Nicolas<\/p>\n

<\/span>A photo released by the White House on Truth Social appears to show Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>via TruthSocial<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

“Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima,” he posted on Truth Social, referring to the\u00a0amphibious assault ship\u00a0in the U.S. navy.<\/p>\n

The photo appears to show Maduro blindfolded and wearing headphones, dressed in a grey tracksuit and holding a bottle of water. <\/p>\n

\n

\"Trump<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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2h ago \/ 11:30 AM EST<\/p>\n

Maduro capture ‘sends a horrible and disturbing signal’ internationally, Sen. Andy Kim says<\/h2>\n
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Capturing Maduro \u201csends a horrible and disturbing signal to other powerful leaders across the globe that targeting a head of state is an acceptable policy for the U.S. government,\u201d said Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J. <\/p>\n

Kim, a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, also accused the Trump administration of \u201c[rejecting] our Constitutionally required approval process for armed conflict because the Administration knows the American people overwhelmingly reject risks pulling our nation into another war.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kim also criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for telling senators in a briefing weeks ago that U.S. actions against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean Sea weren\u2019t \u201cabout regime change.\u201d<\/p>\n

At a news conference last month, Rubio was asked directly about whether the U.S. was planning to initiate regime change in Venezuela.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cIt is clear that the current status quo with the Venezuelan regime is intolerable for the United States,\u201d he said at the time, adding: \u201cSo yes, our goal is to change that dynamic,\u00a0and\u00a0that\u2019s why the president is doing what he\u2019s doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

In an interview with NBC News last month, Trump also said the possibility of greater military action in Venezuela was possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t rule it out, no,\u201d he said. Asked about whether he wanted Maduro ousted, Trump replied that the Venezuelan leader \u201cknows exactly what I want. He knows better than anybody.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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2h ago \/ 11:20 AM EST<\/p>\n

Maduro supporters gather in the streets of Caracas<\/h2>\n
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Maduro supporters raised clenched fists as they gathered in the streets of the Venezuelan capital today after U.S. forces captured him. <\/p>\n

One was pictured saluting and holding up a newspaper reading: \u201cMaduro: I am going to continue in the streets with the people.\u201d<\/p>\n

It is not known how many people rallied after the government called on Venezuelans to take to the streets and protest against the U.S. action.<\/p>\n

\"Maduro<\/p>\n

<\/span>Federico Parra \/ AFP – Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

\"Maduro<\/p>\n

<\/span>Federico Parra \/ AFP – Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

\"Maduro<\/p>\n

<\/span>Pedro Mattey \/ AFP – Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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2h ago \/ 11:19 AM EST<\/p>\n

Analyst warns of power struggle as Maduro allies jockey for control<\/h2>\n
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Competing figures inside Venezuela\u2019s ruling elite are vying for power following Nicol\u00e1s Maduro\u2019s capture amid uncertainty over whether the U.S. is willing to pursue a broader regime change in the country, according to one expert in the region.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are two sets of actors to keep an eye on,\u201d said Dr. Christopher Sabatini, a senior research fellow for Latin America, U.S. and North America at the London-based think tank Chatham House, pointing to \u201cthe civilian face of the Maduro government,\u201d including Vice President Delcy Rodr\u00edguez and her brother, Jorge Rodr\u00edguez.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have a lock on a constitutional path to inherit Maduro\u2019s seat in Miraflores Palace,\u201d he told NBC News, but added that \u201cmany people have alleged, with reason, that the 2024 elections last year were stolen from the opposition.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

At the same time, Sabatini said real power lies with the security apparatus.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the other side, you have the security figures,\u201d he said, noting they control \u201cthe National Guard, the intelligence services, private militias,\u201d and \u201chave basically the de facto power in many ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sabatini said both camps were now positioning themselves, each giving speeches and “vying for control of the Maduro government.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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3h ago \/ 11:10 AM EST<\/p>\n

Opposition leader and Nobel winner praises U.S. actions<\/h2>\n
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Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Mar\u00eda Corina Machado today hailed U.S. strikes on her country and the capture of President Nicolas Maduro, saying \u201cthe hour of freedom has arrived.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStarting today, Nicol\u00e1s Maduro faces international justice for the heinous crimes committed against Venezuelans and citizens of many other nations,\u201d she said in a written statement. \u201cIn response to his refusal to accept a negotiated solution, the government of the United States has fulfilled its promise to enforce the law.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some 8 million Venezuelans have left the country in recent years, amid a worsening economy, international isolation and political repression.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe time has come for Popular Sovereignty and National Sovereignty to govern our country. We are going to restore order, free political prisoners, build an exceptional nation, and bring our children back home,\u201d the statement added. \u201cWe have fought for years, we have given everything, and it has been worth it. What had to happen is happening.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Machado also called for opposition candidate Edmundo Gonz\u00e1lez Urrutia to be recognized as the country\u2019s leader.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday we are ready to enforce our mandate and take power,\u201d she added. \u201cLet us remain vigilant, active, and organized until the Democratic Transition is achieved.\u00a0A transition that needs ALL of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVENEZUELA WILL BE FREE! We go hand in hand with God, until the end,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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3h ago \/ 11:09 AM EST<\/p>\n

DOJ accuses Maduro and his wife of narco-terrorism conspiracy in new indictment<\/h2>\n
\n

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi today posted an unsealed indictment in the case of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. <\/p>\n

The charges include narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession\u00a0of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. <\/p>\n

\"Venezuela's<\/p>\n

<\/span>Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Federico Parra \/ AFP – Getty Images file<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

Federal prosecutors alleged that Maduro \u201cis at the forefront\u00a0of\u00a0that corruption and has partnered with his co-conspirators to use his illegally obtained authority and the institutions he corroded to transport thousands\u00a0of\u00a0tons\u00a0of\u00a0cocaine to the United States.\u201d <\/p>\n

Since Maduro\u2019s \u201cearly days in Venezuelan government\u201d he has \u201ctarnished every public office he has held,\u201d they wrote. <\/p>\n

\n

\u201cAs\u00a0a member\u00a0of\u00a0Venezuela\u2019s National Assembly, MADURO MOROS\u00a0moved loads\u00a0of cocaine under the protection\u00a0of\u00a0Venezuelan law enforcement. As Venezuela\u2019s Minister\u00a0of\u00a0Foreign Affairs,\u00a0MADURO MOROS provided Venezuelan diplomatic passports to drug traffickers and facilitated diplomatic cover for planes used\u00a0by\u00a0money launderers to repatriate drug proceeds from Mexico to Venezuela,\u201d the indictment said.<\/p>\n

Prosecutors added, \u201cAs Venezuela\u2019s President and now-de facto <\/em>ruler,\u00a0MADURO MOROS allows cocaine-fueled corruption to flourish for his own benefit,\u00a0for the benefit\u00a0of\u00a0members of\u00a0his ruling regime,\u00a0and for the benefit\u00a0of\u00a0his family\u00a0members.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

3h ago \/ 11:01 AM EST<\/p>\n

Maduro capture is effectively a ‘kidnapping,’ international law professor says <\/h2>\n
\n

The use of military force to remove Venezuela\u2019s president is effectively a \u201ckidnapping\u201d and violates core principles of the United Nations Charter,\u00a0an expert in international law told NBC News. <\/p>\n

\u201cIf you detain someone unlawfully, if you take someone into your custody, and you do not have the legal right to do that, then what else would you call it?\u201d said Mary Ellen O\u2019Connell, a professor at Notre Dame Law School.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe United Nations Charter makes it very clear that there are very few times when a country has the right to carry out military force on the territory of another country,” she added. “And it never has the right to do that in order to bring an individual out to stand trial before their courts.”<\/p>\n

Countries “could use military force if they’d been invaded or attacked,\u201d but that there was “no U.N. Security Council authorization for bringing Maduro out of Venezuela and using military force in order to do it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\n

Members of the U.N. Security Council were “not going to in any way accept that the U.S. can use military force to bring a president out of his country to stand trial before U.S. courts,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just not going to happen,\u201d she said. \u201cThis is not how this happens.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

3h ago \/ 10:34 AM EST<\/p>\n

Some Venezuelans rejoice after news Maduro was captured<\/h2>\n
\n

For some Venezuelans, the capture of President Nicolas Maduro would mark a huge victory for the people of that country. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m extremely happy. It\u2019s a sensation that finally people understood that Venezuela was no longer a democratic country,” said Raquel De Faria, a Venezuelan-Brazilian doctor who grew up in Venezuela and left the country in 2018 due to the ongoing political and economic situation.<\/p>\n

\"Venezuelans<\/p>\n

<\/span>Venezuelans living in Chile celebrate today.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Javier Torres \/ AFP – Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

Trump “took the reins,” she added. “The reality is that they are a narco-government, and that needed to be controlled.” <\/p>\n

It is “a great conquest,\u201d she said. “I feel like something huge was accomplished, a victory, and what a start of the year for Venezuela.”<\/p>\n

\n

Kharem Itriago happened to be awake in her home in Puerto Ordaz when she started seeing posts on social media. <\/p>\n

At first, she didn\u2019t think the U.S. had actually carried out a strike; like many Venezuelans, she had gotten her hopes up too many times before that Maduro would be forced out or leave during the 2024 elections.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe good part is that you see the news that they really took him,” she said of Maduro. “And wanting to cry because you have all these repressed feelings over the years of wanting to see him go. I\u2019m so happy, but with much uncertainty.\u201d<\/p>\n

But she said that Venezuelans also suffered from misinformation and that she was unsure if there had been deaths this morning during the strikes. <\/p>\n

“We have to wait for someone to make a comment,\u201d she added. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

3h ago \/ 10:18 AM EST<\/p>\n

Next 48 hours ‘most crucial,’ analyst warns<\/h2>\n
\n

The next 48 hours in Venezuela could prove decisive, with risks of civil conflict and uncertainty over whether U.S. involvement escalates, according to one analyst.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the next 48 hours are probably the most crucial in this entire scenario,\u201d said Brian Fonseca, director of the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy. \u201cThere is a pathway that could lead to pronounced civil conflict, and may force the Americans to double down even more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fonseca cautioned that removing President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro does not automatically dismantle the power structures around him, and that “taking Maduro out doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that the regime goes away.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cYou have a political, military elite that are as tied to the survival of Maduro as Maduro himself, in many ways,” he told NBC News.<\/p>\n

\n

Fonseca noted that the apparent ease of the U.S. operation raised questions about internal dynamics within Venezuela\u2019s leadership.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn none of the video footage or reporting have I seen any response by the Venezuelan military to repel the Americans from coming in,\u201d he said. \u201cIt may hint possibly at maybe some more negotiated outing of Maduro, in which members of the political and military elite decided to engage the U.S. directly or through the opposition in order to have Maduro removed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Any political transition will hinge on engaging Venezuela\u2019s armed forces as an institution, Fonseca added, arguing that the military\u2019s role is decisive and complicated by its long-standing distrust of the opposition, which it has historically viewed as no better than those currently in power.<\/p>\n

Alternatively, he warned, punitive measures against the military could deepen instability.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not just going to throw a bunch of military leaders in prison and expect the institution to just fall in line,\u201d he said. \u201cI think that could be problematic too.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

4h ago \/ 10:10 AM EST<\/p>\n

Trump approved Venezuela action before Christmas, U.S. officials say<\/h2>\n
\n

President Donald Trump approved the U.S. military and law enforcement actions in Venezuela more than a week ago, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the planning. <\/p>\n

Approval for the plan came before Christmas, and apparently when the mission would actually occur has been discussed almost hour by hour since then.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

4h ago \/ 10:02 AM EST<\/p>\n

Trump: U.S. plans to get ‘strongly involved’ in future of Venezuela’s oil industry<\/h2>\n
\n

Trump said that he expects the U.S. to get “very strongly involved” in the future of Venezuela’s oil industry now that Maduro is no longer in control of it. <\/p>\n

“We have the greatest oil companies in the world, the biggest, the greatest, and we’re going to be very much involved in it,” he said on Fox News. <\/p>\n

Any major U.S. involvement in Venezuela’s oil industry could be seismic for the industry, although establishing the infrastructure to drill, store and exporting that oil would likely take years to materialize. <\/p>\n

The country currently sits on the largest proven oil reserves in the world, surpassing even the reserves of Saudi Arabia, according to the Energy Institute. <\/p>\n

On X, Vice President JD Vance said <\/a>“the stolen oil must be returned to the United States.” <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

4h ago \/ 9:58 AM EST<\/p>\n

U.N. Secretary-General ‘deeply concerned’ international law may have been breached<\/h2>\n
\n

United Nations Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres is \u201cdeeply alarmed\u201d by the recent escalation in Venezuela and concerned the U.S. operation will have potentially worrying implications for the region.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese developments constitute a dangerous precedent,\u201d St\u00e9phane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general, said in a statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Secretary-General continues to emphasize the importance of full respect \u2014 by all \u2014 of international law, including the UN Charter. He\u2019s deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

4h ago \/ 9:52 AM EST<\/p>\n

Trump calls Democrats questioning whether he needed congressional authorization ‘weak, stupid people’<\/h2>\n
\n

In a phone call with Fox News, the president called his critics “weak, stupid people,” when asked directly about criticism he’s facing from Democratic lawmakers for taking action in Venezuela without congressional approval.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, look, these are weak, stupid people,” Trump told “Fox & Friends,” this morning, adding, “They’re trying to save themselves from almost destroying our country.”<\/p>\n

“As far as last night is concerned, it was really genius. What they did is genius, and the Democrats, maybe they\u2019ll take a shot, you know? They\u2019ll take a shot.\u00a0All they do is complain,” the president added later. “They should say, ‘You know what, we did a great job.’ … They do say, ‘Oh, gee, maybe it\u2019s not constitutional.’ You know, the same old stuff that we\u2019ve been hearing for years and years and years.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

4h ago \/ 9:50 AM EST<\/p>\n

Venezuelans gather at the border with Colombia<\/h2>\n
\n
\"Venezuelans<\/p>\n

<\/span>Schneyder Mendoza \/ AFP – Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

\"Venezuelans<\/p>\n

<\/span>SCHNEYDER MENDOZA \/ AFP – Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

Venezuelan civilians, appearing to flee the country, gather at the border crossing in the town of Cucuta, Colombia, this morning, following a large-scale U.S. military operation to remove President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

4h ago \/ 9:45 AM EST<\/p>\n

Trump on who will be the next leader of Venezuela: ‘We\u2019re going to have to look at it’<\/h2>\n
\n

Asked whether he would support Mar\u00eda Corina Machado, Venezuela’s opposition leader who last year won the Nobel Peace Prize<\/a>, as the nation’s next president, Trump told Fox News, “Well, we\u2019re going to have to look at it right now.” <\/p>\n

“They have a vice president, as you know,” Trump added before casting doubt on whether Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodr\u00edguez was duly elected.<\/p>\n

“I mean, I don\u2019t know what kind of an election that was. But, you know, the election of Maduro was a disgrace,” the U.S. president said.<\/p>\n

Trump then went on to compare Maduro’s election to his failed re-election bid in 2020, which Trump has falsely claimed for years was “rigged” against him. Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election.<\/p>\n

Maduro’s election in Venezuela, “just like my election, was a disgrace,” Trump said, adding, “2020 was a disgrace.”<\/p>\n

“[Maduro] had an election that was a rigged election, and the people have no love for him, that\u2019s for sure. He had very little loyalty, if any loyalty. He was a dictator,” the U.S. president said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

4h ago \/ 9:38 AM EST<\/p>\n

Only U.S. oil company in Venezuela says\u00a0it is focused on safety of employees after Maduro capture<\/h2>\n
\n

Chevron, the only U.S. oil company that currently operates in Venezuela, says it is focused on the well-being of its employees after the U.S. struck Venezuela overnight.<\/p>\n

“Chevron remains focused on the safety and wellbeing of our employees, as well as the integrity of our assets,” a company spokesperson said. “We continue to operate in full compliance with all relevant laws and regulations.”<\/p>\n

The energy giant operates in Venezuela with the permission of the Trump administration through a license that allows it to export oil despite sanctions on the nation. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

4h ago \/ 9:35 AM EST<\/p>\n

Trump: Maduro is headed to New York<\/h2>\n
\n

During an interview on Fox News, the U.S. president confirmed that Maduro and his wife are being flown to New York, where they were indicted.<\/p>\n

“They\u2019ll be heading to New York. You know, they were indicted in New York,” Trump told “Fox & Friends.”<\/p>\n

He confirmed that they were taken to the USS Iwo Jima and then “they\u2019ll be heading into New York. … They went by helicopter.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

4h ago \/ 9:24 AM EST<\/p>\n

Analysis: Today marks a new day for Latin America<\/h2>\n
\n

Today\u2019s strikes will shape the Trump administration\u2019s legacy.<\/p>\n

This is also a new day for Latin America. With this regime change operation, the government of Venezuela has been decapitated.<\/p>\n

If the Venezuelan opposition, which claimed victory in the July 2024 elections, is able to come to power and work cohesively with the existing military, then today\u2019s strikes will be considered one of Trump\u2019s greatest military accomplishments.<\/p>\n

If, however, the Venezuelan military divides, a new leader resembling Maduro emerges, and the country descends into civil war, then today may be permanently considered Trump\u2019s greatest failure.<\/p>\n

The Trump administration is obviously hoping for the former.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

4h ago \/ 9:23 AM EST<\/p>\n

Trump: Strike was supposed to happen four days ago but was delayed due to weather<\/h2>\n
\n

In a phone call with Fox News, the U.S. president said that the strikes on Venezuela and the capture of Maduro were slated to happen four days ago, “but the weather was not perfect.”<\/p>\n

“The weather has to be perfect,” he said. <\/p>\n

“We had, you know, very good, a little bit few more clouds than we thought, but it was good,” he added. “We waited four days. We were going to do this four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, and then all of a sudden, it opened up, and we said go.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

4h ago \/ 9:17 AM EST<\/p>\n

Trump on Venezuela strikes: ‘I was able to watch it in real time’<\/h2>\n
\n

In a live phone call with Fox News, Trump said that he watched the military operation in real time from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.<\/p>\n

“I was able to watch it in real time, and I watched every aspect of it, and I listened to the communication between, you know, where we were in Florida and out in the field in Venezuela,” the president told Fox News. “It was amazing to see the professionalism, the quality of leadership, the professionalism.”<\/p>\n

Trump added later, “It\u2019s been amazing to see how good they were, how professional they were, how incredible the equipment we have is \u2014 I mean, the level of equipment and to see how it worked so perfectly.”<\/p>\n

He also indicated that the U.S. military suffered no casualties during the operation, saying, “To have a few injuries, but no death on our side, is really amazing.”<\/p>\n

The president compared the military operation to the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan during the Biden administration. “We\u2019re not a laughingstock anymore,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

4h ago \/ 9:13 AM EST<\/p>\n

Analysis: Adversaries and allies will be watching and waiting as Trump reasserts U.S. power<\/h2>\n
\n

In case any government missed the message in 2025, this year has begun with a kinetic declaration from the Trump administration \u2014 bend to our will. The initial reaction from America\u2019s allies has been cautious, with European leaders calling for “restraint.” Every friendly government will be trying not to elicit the wrath of Trump through their reaction.<\/p>\n

America\u2019s adversaries have been quick to speak out: Cuba denounced the strike and Iran condemned it. The removal of Maduro, an ally of the Iranian regime, is another blow for Tehran just as it faces significant internal protests. Just yesterday, Trump threatened strikes against Iran if it targeted protesters.<\/p>\n

Russia, another supporter of Maduro, called it “armed aggression against Venezuela,” saying the strikes were “concerning and condemnable,” but offering Moscow as a diplomatic player that can help ensure stability. Vladimir Putin will be calculating that being seen to help Trump over Venezuela may, in turn, help him as he negotiates over Ukraine.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Perhaps the most important reaction will be from China. The Trump administration’s National Security Strategy, published in late 2025, cited the biggest threats to the U.S. in the Western hemisphere as migration, drugs, crime and China. China has made inroads with trade and rare minerals in South America. Now it is watching the U.S. reassert itself.\u00a0<\/p>\n

All of these U.S. adversaries and allies will know that what happens next in Venezuela is unpredictable. Many will be watching and waiting.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

5h ago \/ 9:06 AM EST<\/p>\n

JD Vance says Venezuela’s ‘stolen oil’ must be returned to U.S.<\/h2>\n
\n

Vice President JD Vance said Venezuela’s “stolen oil” must be returned to the U.S., following strikes on the nation this morning and the capture of its president, Nicol\u00e1s Maduro.<\/p>\n

“The president offered multiple off ramps, but was very clear throughout this process: the drug trafficking must stop, and the stolen oil must be returned to the United States,” Vance posted on X. “Maduro is the newest person to find out that President Trump means what he says.”<\/p>\n

The U.S. seized oil tankers\u00a0off the Venezuelan coast in the past month, ordered a blockade of all sanctioned tankers while working to prevent them from\u00a0<\/strong>going in and leaving the country.<\/p>\n

Addressing those who have criticized the U.S. operations in Venezuela today as illegal, Vance said: “Maduro has multiple indictments in the United States for narcoterrorism. You don\u2019t get to avoid justice for drug trafficking in the United States because you live in a palace in Caracas.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

5h ago \/ 8:43 AM EST<\/p>\n

All flights cancelled at major Puerto Rico airport<\/h2>\n
\n

Passengers were experiencing long delays at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in Carolina, Puerto Rico, this morning.<\/p>\n

\"President<\/p>\n

<\/span>Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo \/ AFP – Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

\"President<\/p>\n

<\/span>Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo \/ AFP – Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

\"President<\/p>\n

<\/span>Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo \/ AFP – Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

The island\u2019s largest civilian airport said a temporary airspace restriction had been imposed by order of the Federal Aviation Administration as a result of the situation in Venezuela, with most commercial flights operated by U.S. airlines canceled.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

5h ago \/ 8:41 AM EST<\/p>\n

Civilians killed during U.S. strikes, Venezuela’s AG says<\/h2>\n
\n

Venezuela\u2019s attorney general, Tarek William Saab, said innocent civilians have been killed in today\u2019s strikes. <\/p>\n

Speaking to Venezolana de Televisi\u00f3n (VTV), Saab reiterated demands for proofs of life of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hold the government of the United States of America directly responsible for any circumstance that may befall our president and leader of the Bolivarian Revolution,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

He urged people to calmly take to the streets and denounce the \u201cmassive violations of human rights that have occurred today\u201d at the hands of the U.S. administration. \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

5h ago \/ 8:36 AM EST<\/p>\n

Video: Explosions illuminate night sky over Caracas<\/h2>\n
\n

Blasts, aircraft and black smoke could be seen across Caracas from about 2 a.m. ET, according to video verified by NBC News. <\/p>\n

Fire and smoke billowed at La Guaira port, as explosions continued to ring in the background. <\/p>\n

\n

\"Helicopters<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Helicopters are seen flying over Venezuela\u2019s capital, Caracas, as explosions illuminated the night sky. Other footage from the capital showed cars driving breathtakingly close to areas hit by the strikes, weaving around huge pits of fire and debris.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

5h ago \/ 8:27 AM EST<\/p>\n

U.K. was ‘not involved in any way,’ Starmer says<\/h2>\n
\n

The U.K. was not \u201cinvolved in any way\u201d in U.S. operations in Venezuela, said Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who added he was seeking more information before commenting on today\u2019s events.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is obviously a fast-moving situation and we need to establish all the facts,\u201d he said in remarks recorded for U.K. broadcasters. He added that he had not spoken to President Trump since the capture of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I can say is that the U.K. was not involved in any way in this operation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"Image:<\/p>\n

<\/span>Smoke rises from the Port of La Guaira in Caracas this morning.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Jesus Vargas \/ Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

A number of U.K. lawmakers have already condemned U.S. actions in Venezuela, but Starmer said he wanted \u201cto establish the facts first.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to speak to President Trump,\u201d he said. \u201cI always say and believe we should uphold international law.\u00a0But I think at this stage, fast-moving situation, let\u2019s establish the facts and take it from there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro S\u00e1nchez, an outspoken critic of the Trump administration’s previous military actions on alleged drug-trafficking boats linked to Venezuela, said his government was closely monitoring the situation and called for “de-escalation”. <\/p>\n

“International law and the principles of the U.N. Charter must be respected,\u201d he wrote on X. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

5h ago \/ 8:17 AM EST<\/p>\n

European Union leaders call for restraint, urge de-escalation<\/h2>\n
\n

The European Union\u2019s top diplomat called for restraint and respect for international law following the U.S. strikes on Venezuela. <\/p>\n

\u201cI have spoken with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and our Ambassador in Caracas. The EU is closely monitoring the situation in\u00a0Venezuela,\u201d Kaja Kallas said on X.<\/p>\n

\"UN-UNGA-DIPLOMACY-EU-KALLAS\"<\/p>\n

<\/span>Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign affairs chief, in New York City in September.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Timothy A. Clary \/ AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

The European Union has repeatedly said\u00a0Venezuela\u2019s President Nicolas Maduro \u201clacks legitimacy\u201d and has defended a \u201cpeaceful transition\u201d of power. <\/p>\n

\u201cUnder all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected. We call for restraint,\u201d Kallas added. <\/p>\n

President of the European Council Ant\u00f3nio Costa echoed Kallas\u2019 sentiments in a later post on X, urging de-escalation and maintaining that the E.U. \u201cwill continue to support a peaceful, democratic, and inclusive solution in Venezuela.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

6h ago \/ 8:10 AM EST<\/p>\n

Fighter jets parked on the tarmac in Puerto Rico<\/h2>\n
\n

U.S. military fighter jets sit on the tarmac at Jos\u00e9 Aponte de la Torre Airport, formerly Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, this morning.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

<\/span>Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo \/ AFP – Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

<\/span>Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo \/ AFP – Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

6h ago \/ 7:53 AM EST<\/p>\n

Mexico calls for an end to aggression against Venezuelan people<\/h2>\n
\n

The U.S. strikes on Venezuela violate international law and seriously threaten stability in the broader region, Mexico\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. <\/p>\n

\u201cLatin America and the Caribbean is a zone of peace, built on the foundation of mutual respect, the peaceful settlement of disputes, and the prohibition of the use and threat of force.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The strikes clearly violate the U.N. Charter’s Article 2, the Foreign Ministry added, and urged the immediate cessation of \u201cany act of aggression again the Venezuelan government and people.\u201d <\/p>\n

Mexico reiterated its willingness to facilitate, mediate and support dialogue between the U.S. and Venezuela.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

6h ago \/ 7:49 AM EST<\/p>\n

Venezuelan community in Miami celebrate after Maduro\u2019s capture <\/h2>\n
\n
\n

\"Venezuelan<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Members of the Venezuelan community in Miami gathered after President Trump announced a series of strikes on the country and the capture of President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro. Trump said on social media that Maduro and his wife were \u201ccaptured and flown out of the country\u201d following the strikes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

6h ago \/ 7:43 AM EST<\/p>\n

Maduro will ‘face the full wrath of American justice on American soil,’ Attorney General Pam Bondi says<\/h2>\n
\n

In a post on X this morning, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that Maduro and his wife are in U.S. custody and said that the Venezuelan leader had been indicted in the Southern District of New York.<\/p>\n

“Nicol\u00e1s Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York. Nicol\u00e1s\u00a0Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States,” Bondi wrote on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n

She added: “They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts. On behalf of the entire U.S. DOJ, I would like to thank President Trump for having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American People.”<\/p>\n

A senior law enforcement official confirms to NBC News that Maduro was newly indicted and that Bondi was not referring to a 2020 indictment<\/a> of Maduro and others in the Southern District of New York.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

6h ago \/ 7:25 AM EST<\/p>\n

Photos: Reaction inside Caracas as civilians take to the streets<\/h2>\n
\n

The United States hit Venezuela with a \u201clarge-scale strike\u201d early Saturday and President Trump said its longtime leader, Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, was captured and flown out of the country along with his wife. <\/p>\n

Below are scenes that followed, from evacuations in the capital to civilians taking to the streets in support of Maduro.<\/p>\n

\"Venezuela<\/p>\n

<\/span>Soldiers guard the area around the Miraflores presidential palace after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas today.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Cristian Hernandez \/ AP<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

\"Venezuela<\/p>\n

<\/span>Residents evacuate a building near the Miraflores presidential palace following explosions in Caracas today.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Cristian Hernandez \/ AP<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

\"Supporters<\/p>\n

<\/span>Supporters of Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro embrace in downtown Caracas today, after President Donald Trump announced that Maduro had been captured and flown out of the country.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Cristian Hernandez \/ AP<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

\"Venezuela<\/p>\n

<\/span>Venezuelans display a poster of support for Maduro in Caracas today.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Cristian Hernandez \/ AP<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

6h ago \/ 7:18 AM EST<\/p>\n

Trump declines to say whether he sought congressional approval <\/h2>\n
\n

President Donald Trump declined to say whether he sought congressional approval before launching strikes on Venezuela and seizing the country’s leader, Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, The New York Times reported<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll discuss that,\u201d Trump told the newspaper during a 50-second phone interview shortly after he announced the operation. \u201cWe\u2019re going to have a news conference.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trump also praised the forces that took part, saying a lot of \u201cgood planning and lot of great, great troops and great people\u201d had been involved. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

7h ago \/ 7:02 AM EST<\/p>\n

Strikes prohibited under international law, expert\u00a0says<\/h2>\n
\n

The U.S. strikes on Venezuela are\u00a0prohibited under international law, but a possible criminal trial for Nicol\u00e1s Maduro in the U.S. could still go ahead, according to one analyst.<\/p>\n

\"Image:<\/p>\n

<\/span>Fire is seen at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex, after a series of explosions in Caracas today.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>STR \/ AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

\u201cInternational law prohibits the use of force as a means of national policy,\u201d said\u00a0Professor Marc Weller, director of the international law program at the London-based think tank Chatham House.<\/p>\n

Force is “only available in response to an armed attack or possibly to rescue a population under imminent threat of extermination,\u201d he added. \u201cClearly, none of these requirements are fulfilled by the armed operation against Venezuela.”<\/p>\n

The U.S.’s interest in repressing the drug trade or its claims that the Maduro government was in essence a criminal enterprise “offers no legal justification,\u201d according to Weller.<\/p>\n

However, he said a trial for Maduro could go ahead, citing precedent from the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989 and the capture of its President Manuel Noriega, who was\u00a0brought to Miami for trial over alleged drugs offenses.<\/p>\n

\u201cU.S. courts follow the so-called Kerr-Frisbie doctrine,” Weller said. \u201cAccording to that controversial doctrine, it does not matter how a suspect is brought before a U.S. Court. A trial can go ahead, even if it results from an unlawful armed intervention or abduction, provided the suspect has not been severely tortured in the process.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

7h ago \/ 6:57 AM EST<\/p>\n

Extent of U.S. military involvement in strikes and capture of Maduro not known<\/h2>\n
\n

The extent of the U.S. military’s role in today’s strikes on Venezuela and the capture of its leader Nicol\u00e1s Maduro remains unclear, as does the authority under which those involved were operating. <\/p>\n

While it appears from what we have seen so far that U.S. law enforcement led the operation, more information is needed to determine what other U.S. agencies may have been involved.<\/p>\n

The U.S. military appears to have helped determine where American law enforcement needed to target to capture Maduro and his wife, but that has not been confirmed by the Trump administration. The military\u2019s role remains unknown, as does the authority under which they may have been operating.<\/p>\n

\"US<\/p>\n

<\/span>A burned out vehicle at La Carlota air base in Caracas this morning.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Juan Barreto \/ AFP – Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

The U.S.’s legal justification for these strikes also remains unclear, as well as the administration’s longer-term goal beyond the removal of Maduro from office. <\/p>\n

Video verified by NBC News does appear to show transport helicopters present.<\/p>\n

We can also see smaller helicopters, and while we can\u2019t yet identify what kind of aircraft these are, we do know that a U.S. Air Force unit, known as the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, has assets in the area. <\/p>\n

We have not seen any indication that there was any immediate response to the strikes by Venezuela.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

7h ago \/ 6:44 AM EST<\/p>\n

Venezuelans in U.S. celebrate after strikes<\/h2>\n
\n

A group of Venezuelans gathered to celebrate following the U.S. strikes on the nation and after President Trump said President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro had been captured.<\/p>\n

Footage captured by Noticias Telemundo showed dozens of people gathered by a gas station in Miami waving flags and dancing to music.<\/p>\n

The group can be heard cheering, singing and jumping, many of them wearing flags as capes. One lady, standing up through the sunroof of a large car, was seen waving a massive flag above the vehicle. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

7h ago \/ 6:39 AM EST<\/p>\n

Rubio: Maduro ‘NOT the President of Venezuela’ <\/h2>\n
\n

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, long a hawk on Venezuela’s government, this morning reposted a statement from July about President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro.<\/p>\n

In the original post, Rubio noted that in 2020 Maduro was charged by U.S. prosecutors with narco-terrorism, corruption, drug trafficking and other criminal charges.<\/p>\n

He also restated claims that Maduro is the head of the Cartel de los Soles, which the U.S. alleges operates within the Venezuelan armed forces.<\/p>\n

Rubio has not commented publicly on the strikes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

7h ago \/ 6:34 AM EST<\/p>\n

Long lines of cars wait for gas in Venezuela<\/h2>\n
\n

Cars wait to fill up at a gas station in Valencia, Venezuela, this morning, following the U.S. overnight strikes and the capture of President Maduro and his wife.<\/p>\n

\"U.S.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Juan Carlos Hernandez \/ Reuters<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

7h ago \/ 6:18 AM EST<\/p>\n

U.S. strategy regarding Venezuela’s future remains unclear<\/h2>\n
\n

It is unclear what the Trump administration\u2019s plan is regarding the future of Venezuela. <\/p>\n

Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro’s whereabouts are not known and it is unclear if the U.S. has a strategy beyond removing him from power. <\/p>\n

Trump has historically adopted a ‘long-arm U.S. force’ approach, prioritizing air and naval power and avoiding putting U.S. boots on the ground in conflict zones. We will have to wait and see if that approach continues with regard to Venezuela. <\/p>\n

In the coming days, we will also be closely watching how Venezuela\u2019s allies, particularly China and Russia, choose to respond. <\/p>\n

Russian President Vladimir Putin will likely not be happy with this latest escalation and it may affect his dealings with the U.S. government going forward.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

\"How<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

8h ago \/ 6:08 AM EST<\/p>\n

Interior minister urges Venezuelans to trust their leadership<\/h2>\n
\n

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello urged calm and called on his countrymen to trust in the country\u2019s leadership following the apparent capture of President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro.<\/p>\n

Speaking on national television, Cabello said Venezuelans should not fall into \u201cdespair\u201d and avoid making it easier \u201cfor the enemy invader, the enemy terrorist that cowardly attacked us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cabello also echoed Vice President Delcy Rodr\u00edguez, saying the U.S. attack claimed the lives of civilians.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeyond one of us or any of us, here is one country that\u2019s organized, one country that knows what it needs to do,” Cabello said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

8h ago \/ 5:49 AM EST<\/p>\n

Maduro to stand trial in U.S., says Sen. Lee after Rubio call<\/h2>\n
\n

Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro will stand trial on criminal charges in the U.S., Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah said today after a phone call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.<\/p>\n

Rubio “informed me that Nicol\u00e1s Maduro has been arrested by U.S. personnel to stand trial on criminal charges,” he posted on X.<\/p>\n

Lee added that Rubio had told him he anticipates “no further action in Venezuela” now that Maduro is in U.S. custody. <\/p>\n

The Senator had earlier publicly questioned the U.S. action in Venezuela, asking what, “if anything, might constitutionally justify this action in the absence of a declaration of war.”<\/p>\n

But he appeared to distance himself from the statement following the call with Rubio, saying that the “kinetic action we saw tonight was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant.”<\/p>\n

“This action likely falls within the president\u2019s inherent authority under Article II of the Constitution to protect U.S. personnel from an actual or imminent attack,” he added. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

8h ago \/ 5:43 AM EST<\/p>\n

Venezuelans will form ‘wall of resistance’ against U.S., defense minister says<\/h2>\n
\n

Venezuela’s defense minister today vowed a “wall of resistance” against what he characterized as U.S. imperialism.<\/p>\n

In a defiant address, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino L\u00f3pez called the bombing of Caracas and the surrounding areas illegal.<\/p>\n

\u201cFar from a supposed fight against narcoterrorism, this deplorable action seeks to definitively force a regime change and subject us to the spurious designs of North American imperialism,” Padrino L\u00f3pez said.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/span>Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino L\u00f3pez this morning.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>@padrinovladimir \/ Instagram<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

The strikes hit urban areas with civilians, and a tally of possible injuries and deaths was ongoing, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have attacked us, but they will not make us bend. United, soldier and civilian, we will form an indestructible wall of resistance,” the defense minister said. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe who extend the hand in brotherhood today close the fist in defense of what is ours,” Padrino L\u00f3pez said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

8h ago \/ 5:36 AM EST<\/p>\n

‘Latin America must remain a zone of peace,’ Russian Foreign Ministry says<\/h2>\n
\n

Russia\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs labelled the U.S. strikes on Venezuela a \u201cdeeply concerning\u201d act of aggression. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe pretexts used to justify such actions are unfounded,\u201d it said in a statement. <\/p>\n

\"Venezuela<\/p>\n

<\/span>Residents evacuate a building near the Miraflores presidential palace following explosions in Caracas this morning.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Cristian Hernandez \/ AP<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

The Foreign Ministry said Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own future and joined calls for an immediate meeting of the United Nations Security Council.<\/p>\n

\u201cLatin America must remain a zone of peace,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

8h ago \/ 5:29 AM EST<\/p>\n

Venezuela’s VP demands proof Maduro is alive <\/h2>\n
\n

Venezuela\u2019s vice president has demanded that the U.S. show proof that Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores are alive.<\/p>\n

Speaking via phone call on state television station Venezolana de Televisi\u00f3n (VTV), Delcy Rodr\u00edguez said the whereabouts of Maduro and the first lady are unknown. Her remarks followed Trump\u2019s announcement on social media that the United States captured Maduro and flew him out of Venezuela.<\/p>\n

\"Venezuelan<\/p>\n

<\/span>Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores in Caracas last year.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Juan Barreto \/ AFP – Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

\u201cIn the face of this brutal situation and in the face of this brutal attack, we do not know the whereabouts of President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores. We demand from the government of President Donald Trump immediate proof of life of President Maduro and of the first lady,\u201d Rodr\u00edguez said.<\/p>\n

Rodr\u00edguez condemned the \u201csavage\u201d attack on Venezuela and said officials, soldiers and civilians had been killed. An official tally of casualties has not been released. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

8h ago \/ 5:16 AM EST<\/p>\n

Some Republicans praise Trump for Venezuela strikes<\/h2>\n
\n

Some Republicans have praised President Trump for the strikes on Venezuela this morning.<\/p>\n

“Thank you President Trump for your leadership & resolve and to our brave service members who have conducted a stellar military operation,” Rep. Carlos Giminez, R-Fla., posted on X. “Our community is forever grateful & our country is safer than ever!”<\/p>\n

Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., also praised Trump for his “decisive leadership.”<\/p>\n

“Our country has faced an unprecedented national security threat from the illegitimate Maduro regime,” he said. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

8h ago \/ 5:16 AM EST<\/p>\n

U.S. charged Maduro with narco-terrorism and corruption in 2020<\/h2>\n
\n

The U.S. charged Nicol\u00e1s Maduro and 14 other Venezuelan officials with narco-terrorism, corruption, drug trafficking and other criminal charges in his absence in 2020, during the last Trump administration.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor more than 20 years,” Maduro and a number of high-ranking colleagues allegedly conspired with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, “causing tons of cocaine to enter and devastate American communities,” then-Attorney General William Barr said at the time.<\/p>\n

“As alleged, the defendants betrayed the Venezuelan people and corrupted Venezuelan institutions to line their pockets with drug money,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Maduro, whose whereabouts are currently unknown after Trump said he was “captured” by U.S. forces, was Venezuela’s vice president for the economy at the time of the charges.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

9h ago \/ 5:08 AM EST<\/p>\n

Flames and smoke as dawn breaks over Caracas<\/h2>\n
\n

Large smoke clouds rise following explosions at Fort Tiuna, Venezuela\u2019s largest military complex in Caracas this morning. <\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

<\/span> AFP – Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

9h ago \/ 5:04 AM EST<\/p>\n

Senators\u00a0question Trump’s action in Venezuela <\/h2>\n
\n

A Trump ally is among U.S. Senators who\u00a0have criticized the U.S. action in Venezuela this morning.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI look forward to learning what, if anything, might constitutionally justify this action in the absence of a declaration of war or authorization for the use of military force,\u201d\u00a0Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, posted on X.<\/p>\n

Sen. Ruben Gallego,\u00a0D-Ariz, said\u00a0there was \u201cno reason for us to be at war with Venezuela.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis war is illegal, it\u2019s embarrassing that we went from the world cop to the world bully in less than one year,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sen.\u00a0Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii also echoed Gallego\u2019s comments on X, saying: \u201cWe should have learned not to stumble into another stupid adventure by now.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

9h ago \/ 5:00 AM EST<\/p>\n

U.S. Embassy tells citizens living in Venezuela to ‘shelter in place’<\/h2>\n
\n

The U.S. embassy in Venezuela has warned any U.S. citizens there to \u201cshelter in place and depart immediately when it is safe to do so.”<\/p>\n

The advisory also recommends establishing \u201cmultiple methods of communication with friends and family outside of Venezuela.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Explosions<\/p>\n

<\/span>A woman follows news of explosions in Caracas this morning. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Boris Vergara \/ Anadolu via Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

It reminded citizens of a previous advisory issued in December to avoid travel to the\u00a0South American\u00a0country. The past State Department guidance cited “the high risk of wrongful detention, torture in detention, terrorism, kidnapping, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, crime, civil unrest, and poor health infrastructure.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

9h ago \/ 4:49 AM EST<\/p>\n

Strong smell of gunpowder, smoke in Caracas<\/h2>\n
\n

In Caracas, there\u2019s a strong smell of gunpowder and smoke at this hour. We haven\u2019t heard any explosions for a while. However, there\u2019s a palpable atmosphere of tension amidst what\u2019s happening with these detonations.<\/p>\n

\"Loud<\/p>\n

<\/span>The Caracas skyline following a series of explosions this morning. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Federico Parra \/ AFP – Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

9h ago \/ 4:45 AM EST<\/p>\n

In October, Trump wouldn’t say whether the CIA could ‘take out’ Maduro<\/h2>\n
\n

Trump in October declined to answer whether the CIA had the authority to remove Maduro, but said the country was “feeling heat.”<\/p>\n

Asked whether the CIA had authority to \u201ctake out\u201d the president of Venezuela, Trump in October said: \u201cOh, I don\u2019t want to answer a question like that. That\u2019s a ridiculous question for me to be given. Not really a ridiculous question, but wouldn\u2019t it be a ridiculous question for me to answer?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think Venezuela is feeling heat,\u201d he added. \u201cBut I think a lot of other countries are feeling heat, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Nicolas<\/p>\n

<\/span>Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in August. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Juan Barreto \/ AFP – Getty Images file<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

This morning, in the wake of Trump’s confirmation that the U.S. was behind the strikes, the White House’s rapid response X account posted a video<\/a> with remarks from Trump on Oct. 17, during which the president said Maduro “doesn’t want to f— around with the United States.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

9h ago \/ 4:35 AM EST<\/p>\n

Trump says Maduro ‘captured and flown out of the country’ after U.S. strikes on Venezuela<\/h2>\n
\n

President Donald Trump said Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro has been “captured and flown out of the country.”<\/p>\n

\u201cThe United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader,” he said in a post on Truth Social. <\/p>\n

\n

\"Trump:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Venezuela has not confirmed Maduro’s whereabouts.<\/p>\n

“This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement,” Trump added. “There will be a News Conference today at 11 A.M., at Mar-a-Lago.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

9h ago \/ 4:15 AM EST<\/p>\n

Strikes violate Venezuela’s sovereignty, Iran says<\/h2>\n
\n

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has condemned Saturday\u2019s strikes in Venezuela, calling on all governments and international organizations to do the same. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe American military attack on Venezuela is a clear violation of the basic principles of the United Nations Charter and the fundamental rules of international law,\u201d it said in a statement published by Iran\u2019s semi-official news agency, Tasmin, on Telegram. <\/p>\n

The United States has not confirmed it is behind any action in Venezuela.<\/p>\n

\"Multiple<\/p>\n

<\/span>Venezuelan forces patrol the streets in Caracas this morning.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Miguel Gutierrez \/ EPA via Shutterstock<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

Iran urged the international community to take \u201cimmediate action\u201d to stop the \u201cillegal\u201d escalation against Venezuela, arguing it is a blatant violation of Venezuela\u2019s national \u201csovereignty and territorial integrity.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n

Iran has been close to Venezuela for years, in part due to their shared enmity of the U.S.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

10h ago \/ 4:05 AM EST<\/p>\n

Cuba’s president denounces strikes<\/h2>\n
\n

The President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel has condemned the strikes on Venezuela, labelling them an act of \u201cstate terrorism.\u201d\u00a0 <\/p>\n

\u201cCuba denounces and urgently demands the reaction of the international community against the criminal attack by the U.S. on Venezuela,\u201d he said in a post on X.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cuba and Venezuela are strong allies based on ideology, politics and economics. Cuba has sent thousands of doctors, military advisors and other professionals to Venezuela in exchange for oil.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

10h ago \/ 3:58 AM EST<\/p>\n

Close up image shows explosions at Fort Tiuna <\/h2>\n
\n

Flames rise after a series of explosions at Fort Tiuna, Venezuela\u2019s largest military complex in capital Caracas this morning.<\/p>\n

\"Loud<\/p>\n

<\/span>Luis Jaimes \/ AFP – Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

10h ago \/ 3:58 AM EST<\/p>\n

Maduro declares state of emergency across Venezuela<\/h2>\n
\n

Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro has declared a state of external emergency across the entire nation, according to Venezuelan state TV channel TeleSUR, following what his government has described as \u201cserious military aggression perpetrated by the current Government of the United States of America.\u201d<\/p>\n

The decree allows Maduro to restrict certain constitutional rights, to mobilize armed forces, and to take extraordinary measures for a period of time.<\/p>\n

\"Venezuela<\/p>\n

<\/span>Pedestrians near the Miraflores presidential palace following explosions in Caracas this morning.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Cristian Hernandez \/ AP<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

10h ago \/ 3:56 AM EST<\/p>\n

Mexican embassy urges calm for Mexicans in Venezuela<\/h2>\n
\n

The Mexican embassy in Venezuela urged calm this morning amid multiple explosions in the South American country. <\/p>\n

In a post on X<\/a>, the embassy instructed Mexican citizens to follow orders from local officials and have documents, water and medicine handy. It also provided an emergency phone number for Mexican citizens to contact the embassy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

10h ago \/ 3:49 AM EST<\/p>\n

FAA prohibits flights over region <\/h2>\n
\n

The Federal Aviation Administration has prohibited flights over Venezuela due to a \u201cpotentially hazardous situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

The FAA issued a NOTAM, or \u201cNotice to Air Missions\u201d for the Maiquetia Flight Information Region, which includes Venezuela.<\/p>\n

The NOTAM cites “ongoing military activity” and says it applies to all U.S. carriers. The FAA said it was an emergency order.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

10h ago \/ 3:45 AM EST<\/p>\n

Commercial flights in Venezuela canceled<\/h2>\n
\n

All commercial flights in Venezuela are canceled, Noticias Telemundo reported.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

10h ago \/ 3:42 AM EST<\/p>\n

Maduro facing increased pressure from the U.S. to step down<\/h2>\n
\n

Today’s strikes could be the latest escalation in a larger pressure campaign by the U.S. to persuade Maduro to leave Venezuela, although the Trump administration has not confirmed it is behind any action in Venezuela.<\/p>\n

Trump last month said it would be smart for Maduro to step down and said he would not rule out war with the South American country. <\/p>\n

Trump\u2019s pressure campaign on Maduro has included a ramped-up military presence in the region and more than two dozen military strikes on vessels allegedly trafficking drugs in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea near the South American nation.<\/p>\n

If Maduro remains defiant in the face of these latest strikes, and his inner circle remains loyal to him, it\u2019s possible we\u2019ll see further escalation. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

10h ago \/ 3:22 AM EST<\/p>\n

Soldiers guard area around Venezuelan presidential palace<\/h2>\n
\n

Members of the presidential guard and soldiers guard the area around Miraflores, the presidential palace, after a series of explosions were heard in Caracas today.<\/p>\n

\"Venezuela<\/p>\n

<\/span>Cristian Hernandez \/ AP<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

\"APTOPIX<\/p>\n

<\/span>Cristian Hernandez \/ AP<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

10h ago \/ 3:17 AM EST<\/p>\n

What is Fort Tiuna?<\/h2>\n
\n

Fort Tiuna, one of the sites where Noticias Telemundo reports there was an explosion, is a major Venezuelan military complex in the Caracas metropolitan zone. The Ministry of Defense, the military\u2019s general command, and the official residence of La Vi\u00f1eta \u2014 where the Venezuelan vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, lives \u2014 are all located there.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

10h ago \/ 3:13 AM EST<\/p>\n

\u2018My brother was woken up by the sounds of bombs,\u2019 NBC News producer says <\/h2>\n
\n
\n

\"Residents<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The brother of a senior NBC News producer was \u201cwoken up by the sound of bombs\u201d in Caracas where he lives, the producer said during live coverage of the unfolding situation in Venezuela.<\/p>\n

The family\u2019s home is in the same neighborhood as a military base in Caracas, NBC News senior producer Geraldine Cols Azocar, who is Venezuelan, said in a phone interview early Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Helicopters flew overhead, and \u201cimmediately within minutes of the first couple of bombs falling they lost electricity,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Family members were \u201chunkering down,\u201d Cols Azocar said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

11h ago \/ 3:10 AM EST<\/p>\n

Maduro had offered talks with Trump administration on drug trafficking<\/h2>\n
\n

On Thursday, Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro had said he is open to negotiating with Washington to combat drug trafficking in the first sign that sustained U.S. pressure is taking its toll on the embattled South American leader.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe U.S. government knows, because we\u2019ve told many of their spokespeople, that if they want to seriously discuss an agreement to combat drug trafficking, we\u2019re ready,\u201d Maduro said in a taped interview aired Thursday on state TV channel teleSUR.<\/p>\n

But in his wide-ranging conversation with Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet, he declined to comment on an alleged ground attack on a docking facility along Venezuela\u2019s shoreline last month, which some media reports said was conducted by the CIA.<\/p>\n

Read the full story.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

11h ago \/ 2:56 AM EST<\/p>\n

Venezuelan government condemns attack, calls it a violation of the U.N. charter<\/h2>\n
\n

A statement from the Venezuelan government said it \u201crejects, condemns and denounces\u201d what it described as \u201cserious military aggression perpetrated by the current Government of the United States of America.\u201d<\/p>\n

The U.S. government has not claimed responsibility for the explosion.<\/p>\n

\n

\"Venezuela<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cThis act constitutes a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter, especially Articles 1 and 2, which enshrine respect for sovereignty, the legal equality of states, and the prohibition of the use of force. Such aggression threatens international peace and stability, specifically in Latin America and the Caribbean, and places the lives of millions of people at grave risk,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

11h ago \/ 2:52 AM EST<\/p>\n

Minor explosions and planes audible right now <\/h2>\n
\n
\"Venezuela<\/p>\n

<\/span>Smoke raises at La Carlota airport after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, on Saturday.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Matias Delacroix \/ AP<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

We hear minor explosions and planes flying above right now. Venezuelans are trying to reach family members abroad to get a better understanding of what is happening in their country.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There is a mountain between my residence and the Fort Tiuna base, one of the sites where an explosion occurred. The flashes of light from the Fort Tiuna military base are visible above the mountain; that is, even though there\u2019s a mountain separating me from the base, I can see the flashes of the explosions \u2014 so we can infer they are very intense.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

11h ago \/ 2:48 AM EST<\/p>\n

Venezuelan government confirms bombings, describes them as U.S. ‘aggression’<\/h2>\n
\n

TeleSUR, a Venezuelan state TV channel, on a post on X<\/a>, shared a statement from the Venezuelan government.<\/p>\n

\u201cVenezuela denounces the United States’ aggression against Venezuelan territory and population in the civil and military locations in the city of Caracas, the states Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira,\u201d the official communication from the government said.<\/p>\n

No American government agencies have confirmed any involvement or claimed responsibility for the explosions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

11h ago \/ 2:44 AM EST<\/p>\n

Video shows helicopters over Caracas, apparent explosions on ground <\/h2>\n
\n

Helicopters were seen flying in the sky over Caracas early Saturday while flashes were seen on the ground, according to video from the Reuters news agency.<\/p>\n

Nine helicopters were seen in the video. There were flashes and smoke that appeared to be from explosions on the ground.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

11h ago \/ 2:27 AM EST<\/p>\n

Colombian president says Caracas is being bombed, calls on OAS and the U.N. to meet immediately<\/h2>\n
\n

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on X<\/a> that \u201cCaracas is being bombed right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Petro said the purported bombing was happening with missiles, and called on the Organization of American States and the United Nations to meet immediately.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

11h ago \/ 2:27 AM EST<\/p>\n

At least 7 explosions and low-flying aircraft heard in Venezuela\u2019s Caracas <\/h2>\n
\n
\n

\"Eyewitnesses<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

At least seven explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard around 2 a.m. local time Saturday in Venezuela\u2019s capital, Caracas.<\/p>\n

Venezuela\u2019s government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n

People in various neighborhoods rushed to the streets. Some could be seen in the distance from various areas of Caracas.<\/p>\n

This comes as the U.S. military has been targeting, in recent days, alleged drug-smuggling boats.<\/p>\n

On Friday, Venezuela said it was open to negotiating an agreement with the United States to\u00a0combat drug trafficking<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The South American country\u2019s President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro also said\u00a0in a pretaped interview<\/a>\u00a0aired Thursday that the U.S. wants to force a government change in Venezuela and gain access to its vast oil reserves through the monthslong pressure campaign that began with\u00a0a massive military deployment to the Caribbean Sea<\/a>\u00a0in August.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

11h ago \/ 2:27 AM EST<\/p>\n

Trump administration and Venezuela relations have been tense <\/h2>\n
\n

The Trump administration has ramped up the pressure on Venezuela and its President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, including military strikes on what the U.S. says have been drug-smuggling vessels.<\/p>\n

Trump said Monday<\/a> that the U.S. had \u201cknocked out\u201d a facility tied to Venezuela.<\/p>\n

The U.S. Coast Guard and the Navy took control of a tanker known as the Skipper in December and the Trump administration said they intend to seize it. The Trump administration alleged the tanker was being used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

11h ago \/ 2:27 AM EST<\/p>\n

Explosions heard in Venezuelan capital of Caracas <\/h2>\n
\n

There was a loud bang around 2 a.m. local time that caused windows to rattle and the unmistakable sounds of aircraft.<\/p>\n

The reports of explosions come amid heightened tensions between the Trump administration and Venezuela, but the cause of the sounds is not clear.<\/p>\n

\"Venezuela<\/p>\n

<\/span>Smoke raises at La Carlota airport after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, on Saturday.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Matias Delacroix \/ AP<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

1m ago \/ 1:11 PM EST Trump draws a parallel between Cuba and Venezuela Both Trump and Rubio expressed concerns about the leadership in Cuba, which has close economic ties to Venezuela. Trump told the news conference it was a \u201cfailing nation,\u201d while Rubio called it \u201ca disaster.\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s very similar in the sense that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8848,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8847","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8847","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8847"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8847\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8848"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8847"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8847"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8847"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}