Updates at end of article.1
U.S. officials and administration statements report that American forces have taken Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, his wife, Cilia Flores, and others, into custody during a U.S. military operation inside Venezuela. According to those statements, these individuals are being transported to the United States to face federal criminal charges in New York.
The reported operation follows months of escalating U.S. military deployments, maritime interdictions, intelligence activity, and economic pressure aimed at Maduro’s removal. If confirmed, it would represent one of the most consequential U.S. actions in Latin America in decades.
What the U.S. Administration Says Happened
Trump said U.S. special operations forces carried out a coordinated strike inside Venezuela, secured Maduro and Flores, and transferred them to a U.S. naval vessel operating in the Caribbean. He said senior officials monitored the operation in real time and reported no confirmed American fatalities, though some injuries occurred.
