President Donald Trump made a stunning announcement on January 3, 2026, through his Truth Social platform, declaring that United States military forces had successfully conducted a large-scale operation resulting in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, First Lady Cilia Flores, following precision airstrikes on strategic targets in the capital city of Caracas.

The operation commenced in the early hours of Saturday, with residents reporting a series of powerful explosions starting around 2:00 a.m. local time, accompanied by the distinctive sound of low-flying aircraft maneuvering over the city, causing widespread panic as buildings shook and fires erupted in multiple districts.

Trump described the mission as a coordinated effort involving elite U.S. military units and federal law enforcement agencies, stating that Maduro and Flores were swiftly apprehended during the chaos, placed in custody, and immediately evacuated from Venezuelan soil aboard a secure aircraft to prevent any counteraction from loyalist forces.

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Eyewitness accounts and user-generated videos rapidly spread across social media, depicting intense blazes consuming structures believed to include government and military facilities, with thick black smoke billowing into the sky and illuminating the night as emergency services struggled to respond amid the unfolding events.

The White House has scheduled a formal press conference at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time from Mar-a-Lago, where President Trump promised to provide comprehensive details on the rationale, execution, and next steps regarding the detainees, as international reactions begin to pour in concerning the implications for regional stability and U.S. foreign policy.

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