New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Saturday asserted that Washington has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolás Maduro. According to a post on Truth Social, Maduro and his wife have been captured.
Trump said the operation was conducted in accordance with US law enforcement procedures. He also announced that a news conference on the development will be held at 9:30 pm (IST) at Mar-a-Lago. The statement came after violent explosions, accompanied by the sound of low-flying aircraft, were heard across parts of Caracas in the early hours of Saturday, journalists from AFP and the Associated Press reported.
Trump accused Venezuela of running a “narco-state”
As of now, the Venezuela government has not issued any official statement on the matter. The US has accused Maduro of running a “narco-state” and of manipulating elections. The Venezuelan leader, who succeeded Hugo Chávez and took power in 2013, has claimed that Washington seeks to exert control over the country’s oil reserves—the largest in the world.
Explosions were heard around 2 am local time (0600 GMT). An Associated Press reporter said at least seven explosions were heard, along with aircraft flying at low altitude over several neighborhoods of the Venezuelan capital.
