Explosions rocked Caracas before dawn as a series of powerful airstrikes hit multiple locations across Venezuela, jolting residents and triggering panic in the capital. Hours later, US President Donald Trump confirmed that the United States had carried out the strikes, announcing that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores had been captured and flown out of the country. The unprecedented action marks a dramatic escalation following months of US military build-up near Venezuelan waters, strikes on alleged trafficking operations and seizures of oil tankers.
While Washington claims the operation targets organised crime and authoritarian rule, Venezuela has condemned it as a foreign invasion driven by geopolitical and oil ambitions, plunging the nation’s political future into deep uncertainty.
Who Is Nicolás Maduro?
Maduro has ruled Venezuela since 2013 after succeeding Hugo Chávez. His government has faced accusations of authoritarianism, human rights abuses, and dismantling of democratic institutions. Economic collapse, hyperinflation, institutional breakdown and mass migration have marked his tenure, while he maintained a tight grip on power through security forces and loyalist structures.
Why Did the US Target Him?
ABP Live Deep Dive: The US has long rejected Maduro’s legitimacy, accusing him of enabling narco-trafficking, corruption, and destabilising the region. The Trump administration intensified sanctions, declared Venezuelan criminal networks as terror-linked, placed a multimillion-dollar bounty on Maduro, and increasingly hinted at regime-change intentions. Critics argue strategic interest in Venezuela’s vast oil reserves also influenced the push.
Why Did The Attack On Caracas Happen?
The airstrikes followed months of naval presence near Venezuelan waters and seizures of oil tankers. After Maduro ignored a US ultimatum to step down, Washington escalated to direct strikes, eventually seizing Maduro and his wife. Venezuela called it a blatant violation of sovereignty, while human rights groups raised alarm over earlier civilian casualties in related operations.
What Does This Mean For The Future?
Venezuela now faces deep uncertainty. While Maduro is in US custody, the military leadership has vowed resistance, urging citizens to oppose what it calls foreign occupation. Analysts warn of potential instability, power struggles, humanitarian fallout and regional repercussions. Whether this marks the beginning of a wider conflict or a short operation remains unclear, but experts caution that prolonged chaos is possible.
