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US president Donald Trump claims that the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife have been “captured and flown out of the country”.
In a Truth Social post shared only moments ago, Trump wrote:
The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. Details to follow. There will be a News Conference today at 11 A.M., at Mar-a-Lago. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP.
The Guardian has been unable to independently verify this report.
ShareUpdated at 11.29 CET
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Intergovernmental organisation, the Caribbean Community (Caricom) have released a statement saying that conference of heads of government of caricom met early on 3 January after reports of military action in Venezuela.
It shared that Caricom “is actively monitoring the situation which is of grave concern to the region with possible implications for neighbouring countries”.
“Caricom will continue to update the people of the region as more information is received,” it added.
ShareTrinidad and Tobago 'not a participant in ongoing military operations' in Venezuela, says PMTrinidad and Tobago were not involved in any of the ongoing military operations against Venezuela, its prime minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, has confirmed.
In a post on social media today, Persad-Bissessar wrote:
Earlier this morning, Saturday 3rd January 2026, the United States commenced military operations within the territory of Venezuela.
Trinidad and Tobago is NOT a participant in any of these ongoing military operations. Trinidad and Tobago continues to maintain peaceful relations with the people of Venezuela.
Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro has previously accused Persad-Bissessar as having “revealed a hostile agenda against Venezuela since taking office, including the installation of US military radars to target vessels transporting Venezuelan oil”.
In the past, Persad-Bissessar praised US strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific.
ShareUpdated at 12.06 CET
Here are some more images coming out of Venezuela today:
Military personnel guard the perimeter of the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, on Saturday. Photograph: Miguel Gutiérrez/EPA
Bolivarian national police force officers patrol the streets in Caracas, Venezuela, on Saturday. Photograph: Miguel Gutiérrez/EPA
Military personnel guard the perimeter of the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, after multiple explosions were reported across the capital. Photograph: Miguel Gutiérrez/EPA
Armed groups guard the entrance to the Cuartel de la Montana (Mountain Barracks) in Caracas, Venezuela, on Saturday. Photograph: Miguel Gutiérrez/EPAShareUpdated at 11.54 CET
Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani said on Saturday that Rome and its diplomatic representation in Caracas were monitoring any developments of the situation in Venezuela with particular attention to the Italian community in the country.
Tajani said in a post on X that Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni was being kept constantly informed and that the foreign ministry’s crisis unit was operational.
Reuters reports that Italy’s ambassador in Venezuela said on Saturday on Italy’s state TV Rai that about 160,000 Italians currently live in the country, most of them with dual passports, as well as some who are there for reasons of work and tourism.
ShareGermany’s foreign ministry on Saturday said it was watching the situation in Venezuela with great concern and a crisis team was to meet later for further discussion.
A written communication obtained by Reuters said the ministry was in close contact with the embassy in Caracas and a crisis team would meet later on Saturday.
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Sam JonesSam Jones, who is the Madrid correspondent for the Guardian, has shared a longer statement from the Spanish foreign ministry:
Spain calls for de-escalation and moderation, and for action to be conducted in accordance with international law and the principles of the UN charter.
In this regard, Spain is prepared to offer its good offices to achieve a peaceful and negotiated solution to the current crisis.
Spain reiterates that it has not recognised the results of the 28 July 2024 elections and has always supported initiatives to achieve a democratic solution for Venezuela. It also reiterates that it has welcomed, and will continue to welcome, tens of thousands of Venezuelans who have had to leave their country for political reasons and that it is prepared to assist in the search for a democratic, negotiated, and peaceful solution for the country.
ShareAs explosions hit Caracas, the Venezuelan government confirmed attacks had been made on the capital, as well as three other states: Miranda, La Guaira and Aragua.
The Guardian video team has shared this footage of aircraft flying low over Caracas as explosions hit the Venezuelan capital:
Aircraft fly low over Caracas as explosions hit Venezuelan capital – videoShareVenezuelan vice-president demands immediate 'proof of life' of Maduro and his wife
Tom PhillipsSpeaking on Venezuela TV, the vice-president, Delcy Rodríguez, appears to confirm the capture of Nicolás Maduro. She demands immediate “proof of life” of Maduro and the first lady Cilia Flores.
ShareTrump describes US attack on Venezuela as a 'brilliant operation'Speaking to the New York Times (NYT) via a short telephone interview today about the US attack on Venezuela and mission to capture its president, Donald Trump, celebrated what he described as a “brilliant operation”.
According to the publication, Trump said:
A lot of good planning and lot of great, great troops and great people.
It was a brilliant operation, actually.
Asked if he had sought congressional authority for the operation and what is next for the South American country, the US president told the NYT that he would address those questions during his press conference at Mar-a-Lago.
ShareUpdated at 11.19 CET
Tom PhillipsIn a defiant video that was posted online, Venezuela’s defence minister, Vladimir Padrino López, accused the US of launching a “deplorable” and “criminal” regime change operation and said the “barbaric” invading forces had “desecrated our sacred land”.
“This invasion represents the greatest outrage the country has ever suffered,” Gen Padrino López declared, adding that Venezuelan authorities were still trying to calculate how many civilians had been killed or injured during helicopter attacks in urban areas.
Venezuela’s defence chief called on citizens and soldiers to unite to resist the foreign “invasion”. He said:
They have attacked us but they will not vanquish us … we will form an indestructible wall of resistance. Our vocation is peace, but our heritage is the fight for freedom.
ShareUpdated at 11.07 CET
What we know so farIf you are coming to the blog now or are after the latest updates in one handy post, here is a summary of everything we know so far about the US attack on Venezuela:
Donald Trump has claimed the US has “captured” Venezuela’s dictator, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, and flown them out of the South American country after a pre-dawn assault on Caracas and the surrounding region.
Venezuela’s government accused the US of launching a series of attacks against civilian and military targets in the South American country, after explosions rocked its capital, Caracas, before dawn on Saturday.
In a statement, Venezuela’s government urged citizens to rise up against the assault and said Washington risked plunging Latin America into chaos with “an extremely serious” act of “military aggression”. “The entire country must mobilise to defeat this imperialist aggression,” it added.
Explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas in the early hours of Saturday. In its statement, Venezuela’s government confirmed that the city had come under attack, as well as three other states: Miranda, La Guaira and Aragua.
Venezuela has accused the US of trying to “seize control” of country’s resources, in particular its oil and minerals. Th country has called on the international community to denounce what it called a flagrant violation of international law that put millions of lives at risk.
In the early hours of Saturday the president of neighbouring Colombia, Gustavo Petro, called for an immediate emergency session of the UN security council, saying on social media that Venezuela had come under attack.
ShareUpdated at 10.59 CET
Iran on Saturday condemned Saturday’s attacks on Venezuela, after Caracas accused the United States of being behind explosions that rocked the capital.
According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the Iranian foreign ministry in a statement said it “strongly condemns the American military attack on Venezuela and the flagrant violation of the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country”.
Iran’s statement was put out before Donald Trump’s Truth Social post confirming that the US had conducted “a large scale strike” on Venezuela (see 9.31am GMT).
ShareVenezuela defence minister says country will resist presence of foreign troopsVenezuela will resist the presence of foreign troops, defence minister Vladimir Padrino said in a video early on Saturday, reports Reuters, as Donald Trump said Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro had been captured and flown out of the country.
A US attack on the country in the early morning struck civilian areas, Padrino said, and Venezuela is compiling information about dead and injured people.
ShareSam JonesSam Jones is Madrid correspondent for the Guardian.
Sources in Spain’s socialist-led coalition government confirmed an air attack had taken place in Venezuela, saying:
We are gathering information. Spain’s foreign minister, José Manuel Albares, has already spoken to Spain’s ambassador in Venezuela and all staff there are safe.
We can only confirm that we are talking about an air attack.
ShareTrump claims Maduro 'captured and flown out of the country'US president Donald Trump claims that the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife have been “captured and flown out of the country”.
In a Truth Social post shared only moments ago, Trump wrote:
The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. Details to follow. There will be a News Conference today at 11 A.M., at Mar-a-Lago. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP.
The Guardian has been unable to independently verify this report.
ShareUpdated at 11.29 CET
Here are some more images from Venezuela coming in via the newswires today:
Venezuelan forces on a vehicle patrol the streets in Caracas after multiple explosions were reported across the capital. Photograph: Miguel Gutiérrez/EPA
Smoke rises near Fort Tiuna, a military zone, after explosions were reported in Venezuela on Saturday. Photograph: Leonardo Fernández Viloria/Reuters
Members of the presidential guard stand outside the Miraflores presidential palace after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, on Saturday. Photograph: Cristian Hernandez/AP
A fire burns near vegetation in Caracas, Venezuela, after multiple explosions were reported across the capital. Photograph: Miguel Gutiérrez/EPAShareThe US embassy in Venezuela has released a statement on its website saying it is aware of reports of explosions in and around Caracas. The US embassy in Bogotá, Colombia, is also warning US citizens not to travel to Venezuela.
In its statement, the US embassy in Venezuela advises US citizens not to travel to the South American country and “strongly” advises those already there to “shelter in place and depart immediately when it is safe to do so”.
ShareUpdated at 10.26 CET
Tom PhillipsColombia’s president, Gustavo Petro, has published what he claims is a list of the bombed installations in Venezuela. They include the Cuartel de la Montaña barracks in Caracas, a military base that is home to the mausoleum of Nicolás Maduro’s mentor, Hugo Chávez.
The mausoleum is one of the most sacred places of their political movement, Chavismo, which has governed Venezuela in an increasingly authoritarian fashion since Chávez first came to power in 1999. Chávez’s remains were taken there after he died of cancer in 2013.
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