U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday announced that the United States had carried out what he described as “large scale” strikes against Venezuela, triggering international attention and raising urgent questions about the status of the South American nation’s leadership. In a statement released on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been captured during the operation and removed from the country.

According to the president, the operation was conducted in coordination with U.S. law enforcement agencies. However, no further details were provided regarding the precise nature of the strikes, the locations targeted in Caracas, or the circumstances under which Maduro and Flores were allegedly taken into custody. Trump also did not disclose where the Venezuelan leader and his wife are currently being held.

The announcement followed reports of massive explosions in Caracas earlier in the day, though no official confirmation of the cause of those blasts has been released. The timing of the explosions and the president’s statement fueled speculation about a coordinated military or security action, even as key operational details remained unclear.

In his message, Trump said a press briefing would be held at 11 a.m. local time at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, promising additional information about the developments. The statement marked one of the most dramatic claims involving U.S.-Venezuela relations in recent years and immediately drew sharp reactions from Venezuelan officials.

Shortly after the president’s post was published, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth reposted the announcement, further amplifying its reach. Despite the repost, neither the Department of Defense nor other U.S. agencies issued immediate statements confirming or elaborating on the claims.

In Venezuela, the government said it had no information on the whereabouts of President Maduro or his wife. Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, in an audio recording broadcast on state television, demanded immediate clarification from U.S. authorities.

“We demand immediate proof of life of President Nicolas Maduro and the first combatant Cilia Flores,” Rodriguez said, using language commonly employed by the Venezuelan government to describe Flores’ political role. She added that officials were seeking verification of Trump’s claims and accused the United States of creating uncertainty and fear through unsubstantiated statements.

The lack of independent confirmation has left the international community watching closely, as analysts warn that any verified military action or detention of a sitting head of state would mark a major escalation in regional tensions. Venezuela has faced years of political instability, economic crisis, and strained relations with Washington, but the developments described by Trump, if confirmed, would represent an unprecedented turn in that conflict.

As of Saturday evening, no additional evidence had been presented to support the assertion that Maduro had been captured, and Venezuelan state institutions continued to operate without issuing emergency decrees or leadership changes. Observers noted that clarity from official U.S. channels would be critical to assessing the situation and its potential consequences for Venezuela and the wider region.

All eyes are now on the promised briefing in Florida, as governments and markets await further information on what the U.S. president described as a significant operation with far-reaching implications.