Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores were detained in a surprise overnight operation conducted by US forces, according to a report by CNN. The operation reportedly took place inside the heavily guarded Fort Tiuna military complex in Caracas, where the couple was said to be asleep when American commandos entered their residence.
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The raid was allegedly carried out by the US Army’s elite Delta Force with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and was completed in under 30 minutes. US officials said no American personnel were killed during the mission.
Commenting on the operation, US President Donald Trump said Maduro had been removed from what he described as a “fortress.”
“He was in a fortress,” Trump told Fox News in a telephone interview.
“That we had nobody killed was amazing,” he said, adding that “a couple of guys were hit, but they came back, and they’re supposed to be in pretty good shape.”
The rapid strike was launched in the early hours of Saturday. US forces reportedly detained Maduro and Flores and transported them out of Venezuela. American officials said the two are expected to face prosecution in the United States on charges related to narco-terrorism.
Residents in Caracas reported hearing multiple explosions during the brief assault, with at least seven blasts allegedly striking military installations. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez claimed that both civilians and members of the armed forces were killed in the operation, though she did not provide specific casualty figures.
Trump Says US Will ‘Run’ Venezuela
Trump said the US administration would assume responsibility for governing Venezuela on an interim basis, adding that a transition process was already underway.
The operation followed months of escalating pressure from the Trump administration on Caracas, along with weeks of surveillance that reportedly tracked Maduro’s daily routines, including his movements, meals, and sleeping patterns.
US Vice President JD Vance said the White House had issued repeated warnings to the Venezuelan leadership before authorising the mission.
“The President offered multiple off-ramps but was very clear throughout this process: the drug trafficking must stop, and the stolen oil must be returned to the United States,” Vance said.
US law-enforcement agencies have long accused Maduro of heading a criminal network linked to cocaine trafficking and other offences. Federal prosecutors formally announced charges against him in 2020, a move that became a cornerstone of Washington’s broader campaign against the Venezuelan government, which has also included economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation.
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