Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores waves to supporters at a recent function in Caracas
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Trump’s next move after Maduro is overthrown is under intense global scrutiny following claims by US President Donald Trump that Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro has been captured and removed from power after a dramatic US military operation in the South American nation.
In a series of statements posted on social media, President Trump said US forces had apprehended Maduro and his wife, First Lady Cilia Flores, and flown them out of Venezuela in a joint military and law enforcement operation.
According to Trump, the couple now face drug trafficking and weapons-related charges in New York, accusations Washington has levelled against the Venezuelan leader for several years.
The announcement followed reports of multiple explosions across the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, in the early hours of Saturday. Witnesses said blasts were heard near military installations, sparking panic among residents and plunging the city into confusion. Venezuelan authorities later confirmed that several military sites had been hit, though they did not immediately provide details of casualties or damage.
In the aftermath, Venezuela’s government demanded proof that Maduro is alive and accused Washington of carrying out an illegal act of aggression. Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino said the armed forces had been fully deployed to defend national sovereignty, while the government declared a nationwide state of emergency.
“This is a direct attack on Venezuela’s independence,” Padrino said in a televised address, vowing resistance against what he described as foreign intervention.
The capture claim comes after months of escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas. The Trump administration has repeatedly accused Maduro of running a “narco-state” and facilitating the flow of drugs and criminal gangs into the United States. Recent US naval operations in the Caribbean targeted vessels Washington said were linked to narcotics trafficking.
Maduro, who has long rejected US accusations, has accused Washington of intimidation, economic warfare and attempting to impose regime change through sanctions and covert action. His government has dismissed the allegations against him as politically motivated.
While the US has often expressed a desire to see hostile governments removed, direct military intervention to detain a sitting head of state would mark a dramatic escalation. Analysts say the developments signal that Washington’s pressure campaign against Caracas may have entered an unprecedented phase.
As uncertainty grips Venezuela, questions remain over who is now in control of the country, where Maduro is being held, and what legal or political steps the United States plans to take next. The international community is closely watching for verification of the claims and for signs of how the crisis could reshape regional stability in Latin America.
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