Smoke at La Carlota airport after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Venezuela (AP photo)
NEW DELHI: The ministry of external affairs on Saturday “strongly advised” Indians to avoid all non-essential travel to Venezuela, which was hit by multiple strikes by the United States.The MEA also said an email id (cons.caracas@mea.gov.in) and the emergency phone number (+58-412-9584288 / also for WhatsApp calls) to assist Indians amid the uncertain development in the South American nation.Earlier today, the US Persident Donald Trump announced that the US had captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in a military operation early on Saturday, following weeks of escalating pressure from the Trump administration.Speaking on Fox News, Trump said the US would play a central role in shaping Venezuela’s future. “We’ll be involved in it very much,” he said, adding: “We can’t take a chance in letting somebody else run and just take over what he left.”Hours after the confirmation, Trump addressed the media, saying: “We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.”The 47th POTUS described the raid as “one of the most stunning attacks and effective and powerful displays of American military might and competence in American history”. He claimed that no other country could have carried out such an operation, particularly within such a short timeframe. “No nation in the world could achieve what America achieved yesterday,” Trump said, adding that Venezuelan military capabilities had been completely neutralised.
