Explosions rang out across the Venezuelan capital of Caracas in the early hours of 3 Janauary as the US Air Force “successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela”, according to President Trump.
Low-flying MH-47 Chinook helicopters flew into Caracas unopposed earlier on Saturday as US military personnel captured and flew President Nicolás Maduro and his wife out of the country in an unprecedented operation.
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CBS News reported that US officials said President Maduro had been captured by members of the elite army unit Delta Force.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio did not confirm this report, but said he anticipates no further military action in Venezuela. Republican Senator Mike Lee added that President Maduro has been arrested and will stand trial for criminal charges in the US.
Speaking on Venezuela’s state-run television channel, Venezuelan vice-president Delcy Rodríguez confirmed the capture of President Maduro and Cilia Flores, admitting that she did not know where they were. Rodríguez, one of President Maduro’s closest allies, demanded immediate “proof of life” for the couple.
Venezuelan government ministers have announced a state of emergency and called for citizens to mobilise themselves against “military aggression” by the US. President Maduro has previously accused the US of trying to seize control of resource-rich Venezuela’s oil and minerals.
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By GlobalDataQuestions remain as to whether President Maduro was privy to the US’ plan, as Washington previously offered him safe passage from Venezuela in return for resigning.
US airstrikes predominantly target military bases
Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who has repeatedly criticised the US’ airstrikes on what the Pentagon says are “narco boats” in the Caribbean, has called for an immediate emergency session of the UN Security Council.
In a post on X, President Petro released a list of predominantly military and airfield sites which the US has struck. It states that:
- La Carlota airbase was disabled and bombed.
- Cuartel de la Montana in Catia was disabled and bombed.
- Federal Legislative Palace in Caracas was bombed.
- Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s main military complex, was bombed.
- An airport in El Hatillo was attacked.
- F-16 Base No 3 in Barquisimeto was bombed.
- A private airport in Charallave, near Caracas, was bombed and disabled.
- A defence plan was activated at Miraflores, the presidential palace in Caracas.
- Large parts of Caracas, including Santa Monica, Fuerte Tiuna, Los Teques, 23 de Enero and the southern areas of the capital, were left without electricity.
- Attacks were reported in central Caracas.
- A military helicopter base in Higuerote was disabled and bombed.
Unverified video footage shows the widespread extent of airstrikes across Caracas. Videos also appear to show US 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) MH-47 Chinook helicopters, and what appear to be MH-60s.
A five-month pressure campaign
The strikes mark Washington’s first direct intervention in Latin America since it invaded Panama in 1989 to depose then-military leader Manuel Noriega.
In the case of Venezuela, however, it follows a five-month US pressure campaign against Maduro’s regime, which many analysts believe is intended to topple the authoritarian socialist leader who has ruled since 2013.
Since August, President Trump has ordered a massive military buildup off Venezuela’s northern coast, seized two Venezuelan oil tankers allegedly carrying sanctioned oil, and conducted a series of deadly airstrikes on supposed “narco boats”, which have raised legal concerns over violations of international humanitarian law.
Many Venezuelans have welcomed news of what appears to be the toppling of President Maduro, following more than a decade of repression, economic turmoil, and human rights violations.
As put by Venezuela’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning opposition leader Maria Corina Machado when asked last month about her support for a US invasion, “Venezuela has already been invaded”. She pointed to the rife activity of Russian and Iranian agents, terrorist groups including Hezbollah and Hamas, and Colombian guerrillas and drug cartels under President Maduro’s regime.
Washington’s decision to dispatch Delta Force into the heart of the Venezuelan capital and extracting the sitting president is an event without modern precedent.
At a subsequent briefing late on 3 January, US military official said that more than 150 aircraft were involved in the operation to capture Maduro, operating from more than 20 different bases.
Aircraft involved included F-22 and F-35 fighters, B-1 bombers, E-2 command platforms, and RPAs, striking the air defence systems to ensure the “safe passage” of the seizure force tasked to capture the Venezuelan president and his wife, who were taken to the US Navy assault ship USS Iwo Jima.
One US aircraft was hit by counter fire but “remained flyable”, and was able to return to the United States.
Additional reporting by Richard Thomas.
