Venezuela: Trump Claims Maduro Captured in Caracas Strike

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Explosions, helicopters and smoke over Caracas fuel global shock after Donald Trump announces a “large-scale strike” and detention of Nicolás Maduro—claims fiercely denied by Venezuela

By TRH World Desk

New Delhi, January 3, 2026 — The world woke up to a geopolitical earthquake after US President Donald Trump claimed that American forces had captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro during what he described as a “large-scale strike” on Caracas and nearby military installations.

In a dramatic statement issued Saturday, Trump asserted that US troops, working “in conjunction with US law enforcement,” had successfully detained Maduro and flown him out of Venezuela. He announced that further details would be revealed at a news conference at Mar-a-Lago at 11 a.m.

“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro… who has been captured and flown out of the country,” Trump said.

Within hours, Caracas residents reported helicopters, loud explosions, and smoke, with multiple videos circulating online showing aircraft and flashes lighting up the night sky. While the footage has not been independently verified, the visual evidence has intensified global concern.

Venezuela’s government swiftly rejected Trump’s claims, condemning the events as an “illegal bombing campaign” and a grave act of military aggression aimed at regime change and control over strategic resources. Officials insisted Maduro remained in the country and accused Washington of violating international law.

Allies including Cuba and Colombia called for an urgent international response, warning that any unilateral military action against a sovereign state could destabilize the region. Latin American diplomats privately described the situation as the most dangerous escalation in hemispheric politics in decades.

The Trump statement—extraordinary in both tone and substance—raises immediate questions. If true, it would mark the first direct US military seizure of a sitting Latin American head of state in modern history. If untrue, it risks triggering panic, retaliation, and diplomatic collapse.

Why Venezuela Has Long Been in Washington’s Crosshairs

US–Venezuela relations have been hostile for over two decades. Successive US administrations accused Maduro of election fraud, authoritarianism, drug trafficking, and human rights abuses. Washington imposed sweeping sanctions and repeatedly recognized opposition figures as Venezuela’s legitimate leadership.

Trump, during both his presidencies, openly floated military options, once declaring that “all options are on the table.” Venezuela, meanwhile, has leaned heavily on Russia, China, Iran, and Cuba, framing itself as a frontline state against American imperialism.

What makes the current claim explosive is its operational specificity—precision strikes, coordination with law enforcement, and alleged extraction of a foreign leader. Such an action would represent not covert pressure, but open regime decapitation warfare.

The Strategic Stakes

If Trump’s claim proves accurate, the consequences will be immediate: A collapse of diplomatic norms—Retaliatory asymmetric responses; Severe shocks to energy markets; A precedent that reshapes global rules on sovereignty; and If false or exaggerated, the damage may still be immense—stoking unrest inside Venezuela, panic across the region, and mistrust among US allies.

For now, the world waits.

Not just for confirmation—but for clarity on whether a red line has been crossed or merely invoked.