By Ovasa Ogaga,
The United States carried out large-scale air and special forces strikes on Venezuela early Saturday, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and forcibly removing him from power in Washington’s most direct military intervention in Latin America in nearly four decades.
Advocate.ng reports that the U.S. President Donald Trump announced the operation hours later, saying Maduro and his wife had been apprehended and flown out of the country, effectively ending the Venezuelan leader’s 13-year grip on power.
Trump said the action was prompted by allegations that Maduro ran a “narco-state,” rigged the 2024 presidential election, and posed a direct security threat to the United States. U.S. officials said the operation was conducted in conjunction with American law enforcement agencies, adding that Maduro could face criminal charges in the United States. A U.S. official confirmed that elite special forces captured the 63-year-old former bus driver, once handpicked by Hugo Chávez to succeed him.
Explosions rocked Caracas and several other states in the early hours of Saturday, with blasts reported near key military installations, including the Fuerte Tiuna and La Carlota bases. Venezuela’s government declared a national emergency and said civilians and military personnel were killed, though no figures were released. Power outages were reported in parts of the capital as residents described aircraft overhead, bright flashes in the sky, and thick black smoke rising across the city.
Maduro had long denied U.S. accusations of drug trafficking and election fraud, insisting Washington’s real motive was control of Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, the largest in the world. His vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, demanded proof of life for Maduro and his wife, while Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino condemned the intervention as a violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty and urged citizens to resist foreign troops.
The dramatic move recalls the 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama that ousted Manuel Noriega and has revived deep anxieties across Latin America over U.S. military intervention. While several regional governments oppose Maduro and acknowledge claims he stole the 2024 election, Russia, Cuba and Iran swiftly condemned the strikes, calling them unlawful aggression.
As dawn broke, Venezuelan streets were largely quiet under military patrols, with uncertainty hanging over what comes next. U.S. officials signalled no immediate further military action, framing the operation as a decisive blow to authoritarian rule. At the same time, critics warned Trump could face political and legal backlash at home over the scope and legality of the intervention.
