US President Donald Trump on Saturday ordered military strikes on sites inside Venezuela, including key military facilities, according to reports. Following the strikes, Venezuela’s government called on its supporters to take to the streets, framing the attack as an act of foreign aggression.
“People to the streets!” the government said in a statement. “The Bolivarian Government calls on all social and political forces in the country to activate mobilization plans and repudiate this imperialist attack.”
The statement added that President Nicolás Maduro had “ordered all national defense plans to be implemented” and declared a “state of external disturbance.”
Donald Trump Claims Maduro and Wife Captured During Venezuela Strikes
Hours after the strikes, President Trump said the United States had carried out what he described as a “large scale strike against Venezuela” and claimed that President Nicolás Maduro and his wife had been captured.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country.
“This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. Details to follow. There will be a News Conference today at 11 A.M., at Mar-a-Lago. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
Key Military and Strategic Sites Targeted In Caracas
David Smolansky, a spokesman for Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, told CBS News that several strategic locations were among those hit in the strikes. These included:
Fuerte Tiuna: the main military base in Caracas
La Carlota: the main airbase in the Venezuelan capital
El Volcán: a signal antenna facility
La Guaira Port: a major seaport on the Caribbean coast
Drug Trafficking Accusations Against Maduro
The Trump administration has repeatedly accused President Maduro of drug trafficking and of working with gangs designated as terrorist organizations, accusations Maduro has consistently denied.
On Christmas Eve, Trump declined to specify his ultimate objective in Venezuela but warned that if Maduro “plays tough, it’ll be the last time he’ll ever be able to play tough.”
What Is Trump’s End Goal in Venezuela?
The administration’s evolving security strategy offers insight into Trump’s focus on Venezuela.
Trump Eyeing Venezuela’s Largest Oil Reserves?
Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves and has a long Caribbean coastline, a strategically vital sea lane for US goods traveling through the Panama Canal.
Under years of US sanctions, Venezuela has signed multiple energy and mining agreements with China, as well as Iran and Russia. For Beijing, Venezuela represents both a critical energy source and a geopolitical foothold in the Western Hemisphere.
Is Trump Fighting Against Drug Trafficking?
Trump has framed the operation as a war against narcotics traffickers, claiming that one vessel struck by US forces on October 16 was “loaded up with mostly fentanyl.”
However, fentanyl is primarily produced in Mexico, not South America, and most of it enters the United States through the southern border.
Since 2020, the US Justice Department has accused Maduro of leading a drug trafficking and narco-terrorism organization, allegations he strongly denies.
Trump has said he authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela, citing “drugs coming in” from the country as a key justification..
Is Trump Seeking Regime Change in Venezuela?
The administration has made clear that the White House views Maduro as an illegitimate leader, though it has avoided detailing the lengths Trump is willing to go to remove him from power.
Maduro said in September that the US is “seeking a regime change through military threat.” Just last week, he accused Trump of “fabricating an extravagant narrative, a vulgar, criminal and totally fake one” as a pretext for such action.
Trump has been less explicit but has made pointed remarks. Referring to the seized oil tanker, he said “other things are happening,” without elaboration. He also told Politico last week that Maduro’s “days are numbered” and refused to rule out a ground invasion of Venezuela.
Trump’s National Security Strategy has also raised alarm across Latin America. Referring to the “Western Hemisphere,” the document states:
“We will reward and encourage the region’s governments, political parties, and movements broadly aligned with our principles and strategy” and “assert ourselves confidently where and when we need to in the region.”
Also Read: US Venezuela Conflict Explained: What Triggered The Latest Tension As Donald Trump Strikes Caracas
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
