What we learn about US strikes on Venezuela

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The US has captured Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro after a big scale strike on the South American nation, US President Donald Trump has mentioned.

Trump mentioned Venezuela's left-wing president and his spouse had been flown overseas in a army operation along with US regulation enforcement.

His feedback got here after explosions had been reported throughout capital Caracas within the early hours of Saturday morning, together with at army bases.

The Venezuelan authorities has since demanded proof Maduro is alive. It has additionally deployed its armed forces and declared a nationwide emergency.

Maduro's seize comes after heightened tensions between the 2 international locations, with Washington putting boats within the Caribbean it says are getting used to hold medication.

The US has accused the Venezuelan president of being personally concerned in drug-smuggling and being an illegitimate chief, whereas Maduro has accused the US of intimidation.

Here's what we all know to date.

What do we all know in regards to the operation?

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/5b45/live/972c44b0-e894-11f0-b4b3-f5118369b77f.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/5b45/live/972c44b0-e894-11f0-b4b3-f5118369b77f.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/5b45/live/972c44b0-e894-11f0-b4b3-f5118369b77f.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/5b45/live/972c44b0-e894-11f0-b4b3-f5118369b77f.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/5b45/live/972c44b0-e894-11f0-b4b3-f5118369b77f.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/5b45/live/972c44b0-e894-11f0-b4b3-f5118369b77f.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/5b45/live/972c44b0-e894-11f0-b4b3-f5118369b77f.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/5b45/live/972c44b0-e894-11f0-b4b3-f5118369b77f.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="AFP via Getty Images Fuerte Tiuna, one of Venezuela's largest military bases was hit

" class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> AFP through Getty Photos Fuerte Tiuna, one among Venezuela's largest army bases was hit in Caracas

There are few particulars about Maduro's seize. Trump didn't disclose how the Venezuelan president was detained or the place he has been taken.

Maduro was captured by the US military's Delta power – the army's prime counter terrorism unit - in accordance with the BBC's US information associate CBS.

Trump is because of maintain a information convention at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida at 11:00 EST (16:00 GMT) at which additional particulars in regards to the operation could also be disclosed.

In keeping with Republican Senator Mike Lee, who spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Maduro will stand trial on legal costs within the US.

"He [Rubio] anticipates no additional motion in Venezuela now that Maduro is in US custody," Lee mentioned, including that the strikes had been "deployed to guard and defend these executing the arrest warrant".

Round 02:00 native time (06:00 GMT), loud explosions had been heard in Caracas, whereas plumes of smoke had been seen rising over town.

Movies of explosions and helicopters flying overhead have been circulating on social media, however they haven't been verified but.

Stories of locations hit by strikes embody army airfield, La Carlota, within the centre of the capital and the primary army base of Fuerte Tiuna.

Surrounding communities had been additionally with out energy.

It isn't recognized if there have been any casualties.

The Venezuelan authorities additionally mentioned the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira had been additionally hit.

How has Venezuela reacted?

Venezuela's Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez mentioned the federal government didn't know the place Maduro and his spouse, First Woman Cilia Flores, had been, and demanded "fast proof of life" for them each.

The nation's defence minister Vladimir Padrino López claimed the strikes hit civilian areas and mentioned the federal government was compiling details about useless and injured individuals.

He added that Venezuela would "resist" the presence of overseas troops.

Venezuela's authorities issued an official assertion denouncing the "extraordinarily severe army aggression" by the US "towards Venezuelan territory and inhabitants in civilian and army places".

It additionally accused the US of threatening worldwide peace and stability and described the assault as an try and seize "Venezuela's strategic assets, notably its oil and minerals" in an try and "forcibly break the political independence of the nation".

What has Donald Trump mentioned?

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/d2f4/live/5abb74c0-e88e-11f0-8ed1-91f1cd4c43fd.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/d2f4/live/5abb74c0-e88e-11f0-8ed1-91f1cd4c43fd.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/d2f4/live/5abb74c0-e88e-11f0-8ed1-91f1cd4c43fd.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/d2f4/live/5abb74c0-e88e-11f0-8ed1-91f1cd4c43fd.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/d2f4/live/5abb74c0-e88e-11f0-8ed1-91f1cd4c43fd.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/d2f4/live/5abb74c0-e88e-11f0-8ed1-91f1cd4c43fd.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/d2f4/live/5abb74c0-e88e-11f0-8ed1-91f1cd4c43fd.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/d2f4/live/5abb74c0-e88e-11f0-8ed1-91f1cd4c43fd.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Reuters U.S. President Donald Trump looks on as he departs the White House en route to Glendale, Arizona" class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> Reuters Instantly after the explosions, the White Home declined to remark publicly.

However Trump later took to his Fact Social platform to verify the US was behind the strikes.

"America of America has efficiently carried out a big scale strike towards Venezuela and its chief, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, alongside along with his spouse, captured and flown out of the Nation," Trump wrote.

"This operation was carried out along with US Legislation Enforcement. Particulars to comply with."

The US president described it as a "good operation" to the New York Occasions in a 50-second cellphone name.

Requested what he envisioned for Venezuela, he mentioned: "You are going to hear all about it 11 o'clock."

Who's Maduro and why has he been captured?

Nicolás Maduro rose to prominence beneath the management of left-wing President Hugo Chávez and his United Socialist Occasion of Venezuela (PSUV). He succeeded Chávez as president in 2013.

In 2024, Maduro was declared winner of the presidential election, regardless that voting tallies collected by the opposition urged that its candidate, Edmundo González, had gained by a landslide.

He has been at odds with Trump over the arrival of lots of of 1000's of Venezuelan migrants within the US and the motion of medicine into the US, specifically fentanyl and cocaine.

Trump has designated two Venezuelan drug gangs - Tren de Aragua and Cartel de los Soles - as Overseas Terrorist Organisations (FTOs) and has alleged that the latter was led by Maduro himself.

The US had provided a $50m (£37m) reward for info resulting in Maduro's arrest.

Maduro has vehemently denied being a cartel chief and has accused the US of utilizing its "conflict on medication" as an excuse to attempt to depose him and get its arms on Venezuela's huge oil reserves.

In current months, US forces have additionally carried out greater than two dozen strikes in worldwide waters on boats it alleges have been used to traffick medication into the US. Greater than 100 individuals have been killed.

How produce other international locations reacted?

Information of the strikes prompted the strongest response from Venezuela's long-term allies.

Russia accused the US of committing "an act of armed aggression" that was "deeply regarding and condemnable".

Iran's overseas ministry known as the strikes a "flagrant violation of the nation's nationwide sovereignty".

Colombian President Gustavo Petro known as the strikes an "assault on the sovereignty" of Latin America, whereas Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel described it as a "legal assault".

In the meantime, the Spanish overseas ministry known as for "de-escalation" and for motion to at all times be taken in accordance with worldwide regulation, whereas Germany and Italy mentioned they had been intently monitoring the state of affairs.