A fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela's largest military complex, is visible from afar after a series of explosions in Caracas on January 3, 2026.
STR/AFP via Getty Images
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STR/AFP via Getty Images
President Donald Trump said last night that the United States had carried out airstrikes on Venezuela and captured President Nicolas Maduro after a series of explosions and fires occurred around Caracas in the early morning.
In a post on Truth Social published early Saturday morning, Trump said the US had “successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro,” adding that Maduro and his wife had been captured and taken out of the country. Trump said the operation was conducted “in conjunction with U.S. law enforcement agencies” and announced a press conference at 11 a.m. EST at Mar-a-Lago.
The Venezuelan government immediately accused the United States of unleashing what it called “serious military aggression” against the country. In a statement posted on Telegram, the government said US forces attacked civilian and military targets in Caracas as well as the nearby states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, calling the alleged attack a “blatant violation” of the United Nations Charter.
Videos circulating on social media and first-person accounts show the explosions began around 2 a.m. local time (1 a.m. EST).
A journalist in Caracas told NPR that they were awakened by two explosions at the La Carlota military airport, located across the street from their home. They saw two fires on the runway, which were quickly extinguished. Immediately afterward, they reported hearing similar explosions in other parts of the city and planes flying low over Caracas for at least an hour.
Pedestrians running after explosions and low-flying planes were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, January 3, 2026.
Mathias Delacroix/AP
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Mathias Delacroix/AP
Relatives later shared videos, which NPR has not independently verified, showing multiple explosions in the capital region, including near a military base near the Miraflores presidential palace.
The explosions occurred amid increased US pressure on the government of Nicolas Maduro. The Trump administration has accused Maduro of running a drug trafficking organization known as the Cartel de los Soles, or Cartel of the Suns.
The US has stationed aircraft carriers and warships in the Caribbean since late August. The US military has struck dozens of small ships in the Caribbean and Pacific that they say were carrying drugs to the US. At least 115 people were killed in at least 35 known shipping strikes.
Maduro has repeatedly accused Washington of trying to remove him from power in order to gain access to Venezuela's vast oil reserves, one of the largest in the world.
The regional response was swift. Cuba President Miguel Diaz-Canela close ally of Venezuela, which is heavily dependent on its oil, condemned the attack as “criminal.” Colombia President Gustavo Petro said its forces were moving to the border with Venezuela and promised additional support “in the event of a massive influx of refugees.” On the contrary, Argentina President Javier Miley, A Trump ally praised the operation, writing on the X: “Freedom lives.”
