Live Updates: US Captures Venezuela Leader, Trump Says
Di oil tanker weh a evade US forces a broadcast it location afta more dan two weeks a sailing dark, revealing seh it a head northeast inna di North Atlantic Ocean.
Di ship weh dem did call Bella 1, weh di US Coast Guard still a track, deh pan a course weh coulda tek it between Iceland an Britain, according to data weh Pole Star Global, a ship-tracking company, publish. Fram deh, it possible seh di vessel coulda head roun Scandinavia to Murmansk, Russia's ice-free Arctic port.
Di tanker recently claim Russian protection. Pan Wednesday, di Russian govament formally ask di United States fi stop chase di ship, weh di Coast Guard did a try fi intercept last month as it did a travers di Caribbean Sea pan it way fi pick up oil inna Venezuela. Di Bella 1 recently appear inna Russia's official register a ships unda a new name, di Marinera, wid a home port a Sochi, pan di Black Sea.
Ships like di Bella 1, part a one so-called shadow fleet weh transport oil fi Russia, Iran an Venezuela in violation a sanctions imposed by di United States an ada countries, often turn off dem transponders fi hide dem locations.
Di pursuit a di tanker come as President Trump intensify him pressure campaign pan di government a Nicolás Maduro a Venezuela. Mr. Trump don institute a quasi-blockade pan some tankers weh did a transport oil fram di country, a longtime ally a Russia, an di United States don already board an tek possession a two ada tankers inna di Caribbean. American officials seh dem plan fi seize more ships.
Di Bella 1 laas broadcast it location pan Dec. 17, showing it did deh inna di Atlantic heading toward di Caribbean.
Di Coast Guard stop di ship pan Dec. 20, dem seh it neva did a fly no valid national flag an seh di United States did have a seizure warrant. But di Bella 1 neva waan get board an sail back inna di Atlantic.
Di neks day, di tanker staat sen radio distress signals weh did a show it a travel northeast, more dan 300 miles fram Antigua an Barbuda.
As di slow-speed chase did a gwaan, di vessel claim Russian protection, a diplomatic chess move weh coulda complicate US efforts fi seize it. Boardin a moving vessel wid a potentially hostile crew pan di high seas a one dangerous mission weh woulda require a specialized team a Coast Guard or Navy operators.
Laas wiik, inna wan call between di foreign ministers a Russia an Venezuela, Moscow “reaffirmed its all-out support an solidarity wid di leaders an people a Venezuela,” according to a summary a di call fram Russia's foreign ministry.
Tyler Pager an Edward Wong contribute reporting.
Live Updates: US Captures Venezuela Leader, Trump Says
President Trump announce seh US forces did carry out “a large scale strike against Venezuela” an dem did a fly President Nicolás Maduro an him wife outa di country. Di Trump administration did a build pressure pan Mr. Maduro fi months.
Witnesses report smoke coming out of major military installations in Venezuela's capital of Caracas, including La Carlota military airbase and the Fuerte Tiuna military base. Dem aalso diskraib di soun a plien ah elikopta uoba Karakas.
A spokeswoman fi di US military inna Washington acknowledge di reports a explosions inna Caracas but neva have no comment pan any American role.
Colombia's President Gustavo Petro, a critic a di Trump administration, write pan social media: "Right now dem a bomb Caracas. Alert to di whole world, dem attack Venezuela. Dem a bomb wid missiles." No acknowledgement or evidence neva deh deh so far seh dem explosion deh did cause by military action.
A Pentagon spokesman refer all questions bout di explosions to di White House.
Di White House neva waahn komment pan di ripuort dem bout di eksploshan dem iina Caracas.
Eyewitnesses report particularly heavy an ongoing sounds of explosions in Fuerte Tiuna, a sprawling military base inna di center a Caracas weh a di home to Venezuela's top brass an plenty senior government officials.
President Nicolás Maduro accuse di United States a carry out military attacks against Venezuela, inna one statement weh Venezuela's communications ministry did put out. Venezuela “reject, repudiate, an denounce” US military aggression inna di capital a Caracas an di states a Miranda, Aragua, an La Guaira, it seh.
Di Federal Aviation Administration don bar American commercial planes fram fly at any altitude ova Venezuela, an dem seh safety risks “associated wid ongoing military activity.” It notice, effective fi 23 hours staatin at 2 am Saturday inna Venezuela, neva seh which military did involve.
President Trump deh a Mar-a-Lago inna Florida. Plenty a him top national security advisers dem spen significant time wid him a di club, weh di president host foreign leaders inna recent days. Pan Friday evening, Trump get a national security briefing, according to di White House.
Last month, we did report seh Maduro did tighten him personal security amid escalating threats by di Trump administration. People close to di Venezuela govament seh him did a change sleeping locations an cellphones frequently, an one seh him did expand di role a Cuban bodyguards inna him personal security detail, fi try protect himself fram a potential US strike. Read di article yah .
Wi no sure weh Maduro deh at di moment. But at least some people inna him inner circle did look safe, according to two people weh did a talk to dem.
Eyewitnesses seh di explosions inna Caracas don ease up but deh still have frequent noise fram military planes ova di city.
Di US embassy inna Bogotá, Colombia, did issue an alert to Americans inna Venezuela, telling dem fi shelter inna place, citing “reports a explosions inna an roun” di city. It neva gi di details. Di United States suspended operations at dem embassy inna Caracas inna 2019.
President Miguel Díaz-Canel a Cuba, inna one social media post, denounce weh him call a “criminal attack” by di United States against Venezuela, an demand “urgent reaction” fram di international community.
No senior Venezuela govament official or military officer neva mek a public appearance since di staat a di explosions. Di govament broadcast an address pan all television an radio frequencies, in which a state television journalist read out a statement condemning di attack.
Di US a build up forces off Venezuela fi months.
Bifuo President Trump announce pan Saturday seh di United States did capture President Nicolás Maduro a Venezuela, di US military did launch one a di largest deployments a dem forces to di Caribbean region inna decades.
Di United States Southern Command seh dat bout 15,000 troops did deh inna di region by December. President Trump describe dem as a “massive armada.” Inna August, him did secretly sign a directive to di Pentagon fi staat use military force against Latin American drug cartels weh him administration did consider terrorist organizations.
Since di signing, di United States did carry out 35 lethal strikes pan boats weh di administration seh did a carry narcotics. Di attacks dem kill more dan 100 people . Legal an military experts did a question di legality a di strikes. Congress neva authorize dem, nor it neva declare war pan Venezuela.
Som Trump officials seh dat di main goal a di increase inna troops was fi drive Mr. Maduro , Venezuela's authoritarian leader, fram power. Hours before Mr. Trump announce di capture a Mr. Maduro an him wife, di Venezuela govament accuse di US military a carry out attacks inna di capital, Caracas, an other parts a di country.
Inna recent months, di US military buildup did include transport an cargo planes. Flight-tracking data weh The New York Times did review shuo se C-17 heavy-lift cargo planes — weh dem use fi transport military troops an equipment — did conduct at least 16 flights to Puerto Rico fram American military bases inna one recent week. Di C-17s dem fly to Puerto Rico fram bases inna New Mexico , Illinois, Vermont , Florida, Arizona , Utah , Washington State an Japan .
Di United States dem also recently move special-operations aircraft to di Caribbean.
Since October, di US forces dem did include a Navy expeditionary strike group weh consist a amphibious warships weh did a carry thousands a Marines, along wid warplanes, attack helicopters an ada aircraft.
Di buildup also bring di arrival inna November a one full aircraft carrier strike group, wid di USS Gerald R. Ford an several destroyers loitering roughly 100 nautical miles off di shores a Venezuela .
Di Ford an it air wing, however, neva get use fi attack vessels weh dem tink a smuggling drugs. Dem deh attacks deh did launch by drones an AC-130 gunships weh di US Joint Special Operations Command did a control .
Di US Coast Guard staat chase, board an even seize oil tankers weh di White House seh a violate sanctions pan Caracas.
Christiaan Triebert, John Ismay an Helene Cooper contribute reporting.
Venezuela's defense minister, Gen. Vladimir Padrino Lopez, inna one national address, denounce weh him call a US attack. “Dis invasion represent di most blatant outrage weh di country suffer,” him seh. Dis a di first public appearance by a senior Venezuela official since di staat a di explosions. General Padrino Lopez a Venezuela's top ranking officer an dem si him as a crucial memba a Maduro's coalition.
President Trump announce pan social media seh di United States capture Nicolás Maduro, di Venezuela leader, an him wife an seh dem a fly outa di country.
President Trump seh di United States did a carry out “a large scale strike against Venezuela.” Im seh inna im social media post seh im a go host a news conference inna Mar-a-Lago at 11 am
Inna wan brief phone interview wid The Times, President Trump did a celebrate di success a di mission fi capture Maduro. “A lot a good planning an lot a great, great troops an great people,” Trump seh. “It was a brilliant operation, actually.”
Wen dem aks him if him did a look fi congressional authority fi di operation or weh a gwaan next fi Venezuela, Trump seh him woulda address dem deh ting deh during him news conference at Mar-a-Lago inna di morning.
If President Trump's claim is true, di Venezuela constitution seh dat power woulda pass to Nicolás Maduro's vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, who run economic policy. But wi deh inna uncharted territory an it nuh clear who woulda end up inna charge. Di United States neva recognize Maduro as a legitimate president, an Venezuela's opposition seh di rightful president a di exiled politician Edmundo Gonzalez.
A US official seh dem neva have no American casualties inna di operation but dem wouldn't comment pan Venezuela casualties.
Venezuela's Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, speaking pan a state-run television station, seh dem nuh know weh Nicolás Maduro an him wife deh, an ask President Trump fi proof a life.
Colombia's President Gustavo Petro seh pan social media seh him country's forces dem did a get deploy to di border wid Venezuela, an dat deh woulda have additional support “in di event a massive influx a refugees.”
President Javier Milei a Argentina did a celebrate di capture a Nicolás Maduro. “Liberty advances,” Milei write pan social media.
Video weh di Reuters news agency get an weh The Times verify shuo smoke a billowing near La Carlota Airport inna Caracas, Venezuela, as explosions a ring out.
Di US attack lef a unspecified numba a Venezuelans dead an injured, Venezuelan officials seh inna dem statement. Dem seh dem still a assess di numba a casualties.
President Trump did sound tired.
A did jos afta 4:30 ina di maanin Satide maanin an 10 minit afta im mek it klier pan soshal miidia se di Yunaitid Stiet dem kech Nicolás Maduro, di liida a Venezuela. Mi did call di president fi try beta andastan weh happen an weh come neks. Im pick op afta three ring an ansa a few kweschan.
Mr. Trump did first celebrate di mission's success.
“A lot a good planning an lot a great, great troops an great people,” him tell mi. “It was a brilliant operation, actually.”
Mi den ask if him did a look fi congressional authority before di US military, along wid law enforcement personnel, did a engage inna a “large scale strike,” as him put in pan social media.
“Wi a go taak bout dat,” im se. “Wi a go have a news conference.”
Inna him social media announcement, Mr. Trump seh him a go taak at 11 inna di maanin fram Mar-a-Lago, him private club an residence weh him spen di past two weeks.
Mi try fi ask weh him envision next fi Venezuela an why di high-risk mission did worth it.
“Yuh ago hear all bout it 11 o'clock,” him seh before him heng up.
Di call did last 50 seconds.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar a Trinidad an Tobago, weh did express strong support fi US strikes pan suspected drug-smuggling boats near Venezuela, seh pan social media seh har country neva involve inna di US military operations an maintain peaceful relations wid Venezuela.
Senator Mike Lee a Utah seh pan social media seh Secretary of State Marco Rubio tell him inna a phone call seh Nicolás Maduro did “arrest by US personnel fi stan trial pan criminal charges inna di United States.” Lee seh Rubio nuh anticipate no more action inna Venezuela now dat Maduro deh inna custody.
Nicolás Maduro did get indict inna di United States pan corruption, drug trafficking an ada charges inna 2020, an di State Department did announce a $50 million reward fi information weh did lead to him arrest or conviction. Wen him did a announce di capture a Maduro, President Trump seh it did done inna conjunction wid US law enforcement. Di indictment did sworn out inna di Southern District a New York.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello a Venezuela, weh dem consider one a Nicolás Maduro's top enforcers, call fi calm inna televised remarks an urge Venezuelans fi trust di leadership. Im se, “Nobadi no fi get fried an mek dem enimi iiziya. Cabello also seh, widout providing evidence, seh bombs did hit civilian buildings.
Inna one a him first social media posts since Trump announce Maduro's capture, Secretary of State Marco Rubio repost weh him did write inna July a last year. It look like it a try fi push back against concerns, including fram Republican lawmakers, bout di legality a di strikes an capture. “Maduro a nuh di President a Venezuela an him regime a nuh di legitimate govament,” Rubio write inna July 2025.
Pedro Sánchez, di left-wing prime minister a Spain weh did a taak out gens di Trump administration's previous military actions in Venezuela, strike a new wary note pan Saturday. “Wi a urge everybody fi de-escalate di situation an act responsibly. International law an di principles a di UN Charter haffi be respected,” him write pan social media.
Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek William Saab, mek televised remarks condemning di US attacks. “Innocent victims get mortally wounded an others get kill by dis criminal terrorist attack,” him seh an call fi people fi tek to di streets “wid calm an vigilance.” Saab also repeated demands dat other officials have mek fi proof seh Nicolás Maduro an him wife Cilia Flores did alive.
Attorney General Pam Bondi seh dat di Venezuela president, Nicolás Maduro, woulda face “American justice pan American soil inna American courts.” Shi reference him indictment inna di Southern District a New York.
Anatoly Kurmanaev an Tyler Pager
Anatoly Kurmanaev did report fram Venezuela, an Tyler Pager fram West Palm Beach, Fla.
President Trump seh pan Saturday seh di United States did capture di Venezuela president, Nicolás Maduro, an did a fly him outa Venezuela, inna weh woulda be a stunning culmination to a monthslong campaign by Mr. Trump's administration fi oust di authoritarian leader.
Mr. Trump mek di announcement pan Truth Social, him social media platform, an seh dat di United States did carry out “a large scale strike against Venezuela” inna one operation weh did a conduct “in conjunction wid US law enforcement.” Im se dem kech Misa Maduro waif tu.
Venezuelan officials seh inna statements seh while a death an injury toll did still a gwaan, Venezuelaans did get kill inna di strikes. A US official seh dem neva have no American casualties inna di operation but dem wouldn't comment pan Venezuela casualties.
Inna wan brief phone interview wid The New York Times afta di announcement, Mr. Trump did a celebrate di success a di mission fi capture di Venezuela president. “A lot a good planning an lot a great, great troops an great people,” him seh. “It was a brilliant operation, actually.”
Wen dem aks him if him did a look fi congressional authority fi di operation or weh next fi Venezuela, Mr. Trump seh him woulda address dem deh ting deh during a news conference at 11 am at Mar-a-Lago, him private club an residence inna Palm Beach, Fla.
Venezuela's vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, speaking pan a state-run television station afta Mr. Trump's announcement, seh dat Mr. Maduro's location is unknown and ask Mr. Trump fi proof him alive.
Earlier pan Saturday, di government a Venezuela accuse di United States a carry out military attacks inna di capital, Caracas, an other parts a di country afta big explosions did report at a military base inna di city.
Di Venezuela govament declare a state a emergency in response to di attacks an seh dem did happen inna Caracas an inna di states a Miranda, Aragua an La Guaira, according to a statement fram di Venezuela communications ministry.
Venezuela “rejects, repudiate an denounces” US military aggression, di statement seh. It also call pan “pan all social an political forces inna di country fi activate mobilization plans an repudiate dis imperialist attack.”
Fi months, Mr. Trump did a issue threats , warnings an accusations a drug smuggling against Mr. Maduro, whom di State Department brand di head a one “narco-terrorist” state.
US officials dem call Mr. Maduro, a self-described socialist weh did a lead Venezuela since 2013, an illegitimate leader an dem accuse him a control criminal groups weh tie to drug trafficking, charges weh him deny.
Since late August, di Pentagon amasse troops , aircraft an warships inna di Caribbean. Di US military attack plenty small vessels weh US officials did a maintain did a smuggle drugs, an kill at least 115 people . An di CIA did conduct a drone strike pan a port facility inna Venezuela last month, according to people weh did get briefed pan di operation.
A broad range a experts pan di use a lethal force seh dat di strikes pan small vessels amount to illegal extrajudicial killings, but di Trump administration assert dem consistent wid di laws a war cause di United States a engaged inna an armed conflict wid drug cartels.
Inna di recent weeks, di United States dem also carry out a campaign against tankers weh a carry Venezuela crude, throw di country's oil industry into disarray an jeopardizing di government's main source a revenue.
Di United States seize one sanctioned tanker weh did a carry oil as it did a sail fram Venezuela toward Asia. It intercept anodda oil vessel weh neva unda US sanctions. An di US Coast Guard did a try board a third tanker as it did deh pan di way to Venezuela fi pick up cargo.
Dis a weh else yuh fi know:
Maduro's security: Bifuo di US operation pan Saturday, di Venezuela president did tighten him inner circle an tek to changing beds inna an attempt fi protect himself fram a potential targeted strike or a special-forces raid.
US buildup: Laas mont, C-17 cargo planes — weh dem use fi transport military troops an equipment — did conduct at least 16 flights to Puerto Rico fram American military bases, according to flight tracking data . Di US Southern Command seh dat some 15,000 troops deh already deploy inna di Caribbean, one a di largest naval deployments to di region inna decades.
Cartel accusations: Inna March 2020, Mr. Maduro did get indict inna di United States pan charges seh him did a oversee a violent drug organization weh dem call Cartel de los Soles. US intelligence agencies don assess seh Mr. Maduro is actually at odds wid one group, Tren de Aragua, an analysts seh di Cartel de Los Soles no deh deh as a concrete organization. Di term did use fi refer to di involvement a plenty high-ranking military officers inna di drug trade, though no evidence nuh deh seh Mr. Maduro did a direct di effort.
Genevieve Glatsky an Annie Correal contribute reporting.
Attorney General Pam Bondi seh dat di Venezuela president, Nicolás Maduro, woulda face “American justice pan American soil inna American courts.” Shi reference him indictment inna di Southern District a New York.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau confirm inna one social media post seh Nicolás Maduro get tek weh fram power an dem a go put him pan trial or punish him.
Attorney General Pam Bondi seh pan social media pan Saturday seh both Nicolás Maduro an him wife Cilia Flores did get indict inna di Southern District a New York. No public indictment neva deh bout har.
It look like, based pan Attorney General Pam Bondi's social media post seh Nicolás Maduro get charge inna a new indictment. Di existing charges dem weh dem file inna March 2020 nuh include him wife, Cilia Flores. Di earlier indictment, weh dem did file unda seal, did have four counts, weh did a charge Maduro an five ada people wid narco-terrorism, conspiracy fi import cocaine, possession a machine guns an conspiracy fi possess machine guns.
Attention a turn now to di Venezuela military's response to di US attacks. US forces neva appear fi have encounter significant resistance fram Venezuela air defenses or land forces, despite claiming dem have an arsenal capable fi confront, if not repelling, such an incursion.
Two nights before him capture, Nicolás Maduro mek a plea fi peace inna one interview wid a Spanish journalist, Ignacio Ramonet, “Di American people dem fi know dem have a friendly, peaceful people yah, an a friendly government as well,” him seh, looking at di camera. “Dem shuda know seh wi message very clear: 'Not War. Yes Peace,'” him added, an seh him peace slogan inna English. Den him gi di journalist a red hat inna di style a di Make America Great Again cap wid di words: “No War. Yes Peace.”
Inna di same interview, Maduro seh him did eager fi work wid di United States fi avoid conflict. “If dem waan have a serious conversation bout an anti-drug agreement, we ready,” him seh.
Prosecutors inna di Southern District did a target Nicolás Maduro fi years. Di investigation inna him did a oversee by a former criminal defense lawyer to President Trump, Emil Bove III. One a di prosecutors dem pan di 2020 case was Amanda Houle, who now lead di office's criminal division.
Wid di original 2020 charges pending inna di Southern District against Maduro, di US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, did refer to Maduro as a “fugitive from American justice,” weh did appear fi bolster di US government's efforts fi oust Maduro an seize him as it woulda woulda any criminal on di run fram di law.
Spain, wid dem close ties to Latin America, did a offer fi mediate an did a call fi “de-escalation an restraint” inna a statement fram di foreign ministry. It seh it did “redy fi help inna di search fi a democratic, negotiated, an peaceful solution fi di country.”
Di 2020 indictment gens Maduro seh him did help fi manage an fi eventually lead a drug trafficking organization as him did get power inna Venezuela. Anda him leadership, di indictment charge, di organization did a try not only fi enrich dem members an enhance dem power, but also fi “flood” di US wid cocaine an use it as “a weapon against America.”
It no uncommon fi federal prosecutors fi return weh dem call a superseding indictment fi add additional defendants or charges to an existing indictment. Inna dis case, Attorney General Pam Bondi's post pan X suggest seh a new indictment woulda add Maduro's wife as a new defendant. Di original indictment against Maduro weh did mek public inna 2020 did name him an other current an former Venezuela officials as defendants.
Chevron, di largest private oil producer in Venezuela, decline fi comment Saturday morning pan di status a dem operations inna di country. “Chevron still focus pan di safety an wellbeing a wi employees, as well as di integrity a wi assets,” a spokesman seh.
Groups a armed apparent civilians staat hit di streets inna Caracas, according to a journalist weh si dem.
Dem si several man inna civilian clothes jus afta daybreak a guard di Gen. Francisco de Miranda airbase outside a Caracas wen di airstrikes hit.
Two pickup trucks full a man weh did a wear vest an civilian clothes weh did a carry gas cans as well as both long weapons an handguns did a unload outside di Centro Comercial Ciudad Tamanaco, a shopping mall near di airbase.
Venezuela's govament don use armed civilians, weh dem call colectivos, fi fight back against protesters.
Ada people weh get charge inna di 2020 indictment include Venezuela's vice president fi di economy, di country's Minister of Defense an it chief Supreme Court justice, along wid two leaders a Colombia's FARC.
Inna him first comments since Maduro did get capture, Vice President JD Vance applauded di success a di mission an defend it legality.
“Maduro have multiple indictments inna di United States fi narcoterrorism,” him write pan social media. “Yuh no get fi avoid justice fi drug trafficking inna di United States cause yuh live inna a palace inna Caracas.”
Vance added seh Trump did a offer “multiple off ramps” to Maduro. Trump did a gwaan seh “di drug trafficking haffi stop” an seh “di stolen oil” haffi go back to di United States, Vance seh.
Di governor a Sucre, bout 325 miles east a Caracas, call fi party militants fi gather inna di town square later inna di day. Di governor, Jhoanna Carrillo, did appear a di rally wid mayor Pedro Figueroa fi show dem loyalty to di president. “Wi a demand seh di entire worl speak out against di threat an chaos dem try fi sow inna wi homeland,” Carrillo seh.
A nomba a Republican lawmakers weh represent districts inna Southern Florida wid big Venezuela-American constituencies a celebrate di capture a Maduro. “Today's decisive action is dis hemisphere's equivalent to di Fall of di Berlin Wall,” Representative Carlos Gimenez seh inna a social media post. Representative Mario Diaz-Balart “decisive leadership” weh lead to di capture a Maduro, an Representative Maria Salazar, “Now it's time fi di rightful leaders a Venezuela fi restore freedom an rebuild di nation.”
Inna one interview pan Fox News, Trump seh dat Maduro did waan negotiate inna di final days before US forces capture him but di American president seh him did reject dat deh offer. “Mi neva waan negotiate,” him seh. “Mi seh, 'Nope, wi haffi do it.'”
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