US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that American forces had carried out strikes in Venezuela and taken President Nicolás Maduro into custody, claiming he had been removed from the country.
In a post on his social media platform, Trump said the operation resulted in the capture of Maduro and his wife following what he described as a large-scale US military action. He did not provide further details about where Maduro was taken or the circumstances of the operation.
There was no immediate confirmation from Venezuelan authorities, and the government in Caracas had not publicly commented on the claim at the time of reporting.
If confirmed, the action would mark the most direct US intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama that led to the removal of Manuel Noriega.
Washington has previously accused Maduro’s government of election manipulation and links to drug trafficking, allegations that Caracas has denied. Maduro has repeatedly said the United States is attempting to undermine his leadership in order to gain control of Venezuela’s vast oil resources.
The situation remains unclear as officials await independent verification of Trump’s statement.