Donald Trump has hailed his ‘brilliant’ operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, as Maduro’s deputy demanded proof the leader is still alive.
Speaking to The New York Times at 4:30am on Saturday morning, the president said of the 2am raid: ‘A lot of good planning and lot of great, great troops and great people.
‘It was a brilliant operation, actually.’ Asked if he had consulted Congress prior to authorizing the strike, Trump said: ‘We’ll discuss that.’
He then told the paper he’d give more details during a press conference scheduled for 11:30 ET from his Mar-a-Lago country club in Palm Beach, Florida.
Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were seized by helicopter during a strike on the South American nation’s capital Caracas at 2am local time Saturday.
Explosions rang out across the city, with flames seen billowing into the air.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has demanded ‘proof of life,’ suggesting he fears Maduro and Flores may have been killed during the operation.
The air strikes which exploded in Caracas around the same time were done in support of the US operation to execute an arrest warrant against Maduro, Utah Senator Mike Lee said.
Trump plans to fly Maduro to the United States to stand trial on ‘narco-terrorism’ charges.
Donald Trump hailed his government’s ‘brilliant’ capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in the early hours of Saturday
Maduro, pictured, and wife Cilia were seized by US forces in the early hours of Saturday morning
President Trump says Maduro and his government have conspired to flood the United States with illegal drugs.
Maduro was indicted in 2020, during Trump’s first term as president, on charges of importing cocaine into the United States.
Trump offered a $15 million reward for his arrest at the time.
That rose to $25 million during the final days of former President Joe Biden’s administration and was doubled to $50 million in August 2025 after Trump began his second term as president.
Trump alleges Maduro is leader of a drug running organization called Cartel de los Soles and has designated the group a foreign terrorist organization.
Maduro, who leads the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, was elected in 2013.
He has been branded a corrupt authoritarian who has presided over the economic collapse of his oil-rich nation, rigged subsequent elections and crushed dissenters.
An explosion rocks Caracas in the early hours of Saturday morning during a US military operation which resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro
Developing story, check back for updates…
