President Donald Trump has claimed that the United States “captured” Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and flown them out of the country following what he described as “large-scale” strikes, media reports said on Saturday.
“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
The US had previously accused Maduro of running a “narco-state” and rigging last year’s election, which the opposition contended it had won overwhelmingly.
Maduro, who succeeded Hugo Chávez to take power in 2013, has long argued that Washington seeks control of Venezuela’s oil reserves, the largest in the world.
Trump said the operation was conducted “in conjunction with U.S. law enforcement” and promised further details at an 11 a.m. (1600 GMT) press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
Reuters quoted a US official as saying that Maduro was captured by elite special forces troops.
There was no immediate confirmation from the Venezuelan government regarding Maduro’s capture or departure, but Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino maintained a defiant stance.
Washington has not undertaken such a direct intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama, which removed military leader Manuel Noriega under similar allegations.
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