Attack On Venezuela LIVE | Maduro Dared US With 'Come Get Me, Don't Be Late'; WH Shares Video, Says He 'Had His Chance'

Pope Leo XIV called for Venezuela to remain an independent nation and said he was following developments with a "soul full of concern" on Sunday. "We must not delay in overcoming violence and embarking on paths of justice and peace, while guaranteeing the country's sovereignty," the pope told pilgrims in St. Peter's Square during his Sunday prayer. he added that the good of the beloved Venezuelan people must prevail over any other consideration.

Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV on Sunday said Venezuelans' welfare should prevail following the toppling of President Nicolas Maduro in a US operation and called for "guaranteeing the sovereignty of the country."

"The welfare of the beloved Venezuelan people must prevail over all other considerations and lead to overcoming violence and embarking on paths of justice and peace, guaranteeing the sovereignty of the country..." said the US pope following his Angelus prayer in St. Peter's Square. (AFP)

The US attack on Venezuela is a blatant violation of the UN Charter, the Left parties said on Sunday, while raising concerns over statements from President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The Left parties also held a protest at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi against the US action. In a statement, the parties said they "strongly denounce and condemn the US aggression against Venezuela and the kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores".

The statement, jointly issued by the CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML) Liberation, AIFB and RSP, said it was an attack carried out against a sovereign country in blatant violation of the United Nations Charter. Read More...

Months before his capture by the US, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro had dared US President Donald Trump to "come" to his presidential palace in Miraflores and "get him".

"Come get me. I will wait for him here in Miraflores. Don't be late, coward," he said in a speech in August after the US increased the reward for information leading to his arrest.

On Sunday, the day after Maduro and his wife were captured by the US in an early morning operation, the White House mocked the Venezuelan leader in a video on X.

Showing a montage of Maduro taunting the US and footage of the US raid, the White House shared the 61-second clip and wrote: "Nicolas Maduro had his chance — until he didn’t. The Trump Admin will always defend American citizens against all threats, foreign and domestic."

Paris: The United States, which on Saturday attacked Venezuela and is said to have abducted its president, has a long history of military interventions and support for dictatorships in Latin America.

On multiple occasions, the late Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez and his successor Nicolas Maduro -- who US leader Donald Trump says is now in US hands -- accused Washington of backing coup attempts.

Here are the main US interventions in Latin America since the Cold War.

1954: Guatemala - On June 27, 1954, Colonel Jacobo Arbenz Guzman, president of Guatemala, was driven from power by mercenaries trained and financed by Washington, after a land reform that threatened the interests of the powerful US company United Fruit Corporation (later Chiquita Brands).

In 2003, the United States officially acknowledged the CIA's role in this coup, in the name of fighting communism.

1961: Cuba - From April 15 to 19, 1961, 1,400 anti-Castro militants trained and financed by the CIA attempted to land at the Bay of Pigs, 250 kilometres (155 miles) from Havana, but failed to overthrow Fidel Castro's communist regime. The fighting killed more than a hundred on each side.

1965: Dominican Republic - In 1965, citing a "communist threat", the United States sent Marines and paratroopers to Santo Domingo to crush an uprising in support of Juan Bosch, a leftist president ousted by generals in 1963.

1970s: Support for dictatorships - Washington backed several military dictatorships, seen as a bulwark against left-wing armed movements in a world divided by Cold War rivalries. It actively assisted Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet during the September 11, 1973 coup against leftist president Salvador Allende.

US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger supported the Argentine junta in 1976, encouraging it to quickly end its "dirty war", according to US documents declassified in 2003. At least 10,000 Argentine dissidents disappeared. In the 1970s and 1980s, six dictatorships (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Brazil) joined forces to eliminate left-wing opponents under "Operation Condor", with tacit US support.

1980s: Wars In Central America - In 1979, the Sandinista rebellion overthrew dictator Anastasio Somoza in Nicaragua. US president Ronald Reagan, concerned about Managua's alignment with Cuba and the USSR, secretly authorised the CIA to provide $20 million in aid to the Contras (the Nicaraguan counterrevolutionaries), partly funded by the illegal sale of arms to Iran.

The Nicaraguan civil war, which ended in April 1990, claimed 50,000 lives. Reagan also sent military advisers to El Salvador to crush the rebellion of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN, far left) in a civil war (1980–1992) that resulted in 72,000 deaths.

1983: Grenada - On October 25, 1983, US Marines and Rangers intervened on the island of Grenada after prime minister Maurice Bishop was assassinated by a far-left junta and as Cubans were expanding the airport, presumably to accommodate military aircraft. At the request of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Reagan launched Operation "Urgent Fury" with the stated goal of protecting a thousand US citizens.

The operation, widely deplored by the UN General Assembly, ended on November 3, with more than a hundred dead.

1989: Panama - In 1989, after a contested election, president George H. W. Bush ordered a military intervention in Panama, resulting in the surrender of general Manuel Noriega, a former collaborator of US intelligence, who was wanted by US justice.

Some 27,000 GIs took part in Operation "Just Cause", which officially left 500 dead. NGOs put the toll significantly higher, in the thousands. Noriega would spend more than two decades in prison in the United States for drug trafficking before serving additional sentences in France and then Panama. (AFP)

"Today we heard that US President Donald Trump's forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and took him from his country to America. If US President Donald Trump can abduct Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from his own country, then you (Prime Minister Modi) can also go to Pakistan and bring back the masterminds of the 26/11 terrorist attacks to India," said AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi.

Reacting to the US attack on Venezuela and the subsequent capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, India on Sunday said the developments are a "a matter of deep concern," adding that the centre is closely monitoring the evolving situation.

In a statement on X, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said,"India reaffirms its support for the well-being and safety of the people of Venezuela. We call upon all concerned to address Issues peacefully through dialogue, ensuring peace and stability of the region. The Embassy of India in Caracas is in contact with members of the Indian community and will continue to provide all possible assistance.

China called on the United States to release Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife at once, said a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Sunday.

According to the Chinese news agency Xinhua, the spokesperson made the remarks in response to media reports that on Saturday, the United States sent forces to seize Maduro and his wife and took them out of the country, and that the governments of multiple countries have voiced opposition.

China expresses grave concern over the U.S. forcibly seizing Maduro and his wife and taking them out of the country, said the spokesperson, adding that the U.S. move is in clear violation of international law, basic norms in international relations, and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. China calls on the United States to ensure the personal safety of Maduro and his wife, release them at once, stop toppling the government of Venezuela, and resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation, said the spokesperson.

South Korea on Sunday called on all involved stakeholders to try to ease tension in the area in light of the U.S. military strike on Venezuela, Yonhap news agency reported. In a statement, the foreign ministry said it is keeping close tabs on the ongoing situation in the South American country after the U.S. captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in a military operation, dubbed "Absolute Resolve," that kicked off Friday night (Washington time).

"Our government urges all relevant parties to make an effort to alleviate tension in the region," the ministry said. "We hope that the situation in Venezuela will stabilise through dialogue as quickly as possible, while opinions of the Venezuelan people are respected and democracy is restored." The ministry added that the government is taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety of South Korean nationals in Venezuela.

The ongoing crisis in Venezuela is unlikely to have any material economic or energy impact for India, asserted India-based think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI).

The GTRI, in a note, asserted that India was a major buyer of Venezuelan crude in the 2000s and 2010s. Indian firms such as ONGC Videsh held upstream stakes in the Orinoco belt. Bilateral engagement has weakened sharply since 2019 due to US sanctions, which forced India to cut oil imports and scale back commercial activity to avoid secondary sanctions.

As a result, India's trade with Venezuela is now small and declining, GTRI noted on Sunday, a day after US forces carried out a large military operation in Venezuela, capturing President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and taking them to the US to face charges including alleged narco-terrorism and drug trafficking. Read more...

Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, and Yván Gil Pinto, Foreign Minister of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, spoke by phone to review recent developments in the aftermath of the US military aggression against Venezuela, according to Iran's Mehr News Agency.

During the call, Iran’s foreign minister strongly condemned the US military action against Venezuela, as well as the abduction of the country’s legitimate president and his wife. Araghchi described the move as a clear example of state terrorism and a blatant violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty and the national will of its people.

He reaffirmed the Islamic Republic of Iran’s firm support for the people of Venezuela and its elected government. For his part, Venezuela’s foreign minister expressed appreciation for Iran’s principled stance and its declaration of solidarity with Venezuela. Yván Gil Pinto emphasized that the Venezuelan people and government are determined to defend their national sovereignty and right to self-determination in the face of the United States’ illegal and bullying policies.

According to the OPEC report of 2024, Venezuela tops the list of countries having the largest proven crude oil reserves with 303 billion barrels.

Starlink says it is providing free broadband service to Venezuela following the large-scale US strikes on the South American country. In a post on X, Starlink said it was providing free access "to the people of Venezuela through February 3, ensuring continued connectivity.

Former US Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday slammed US President Donald Trump over the capture of Former Venezuelan Dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, saying the operation was driven by oil interests and not by concerns over drugs.

In a post on X, Harris said Trump's actions in Venezuela would not make the United States safer and warned that forced regime change could destabilise the region, putting American lives at risk.
"Donald Trump's actions in Venezuela do not make America safer, stronger, or more affordable. That Maduro is a brutal, illegitimate dictator does not change the fact that this action was both unlawful and unwise. We've seen this movie before. Wars for regime change or oil that are sold as strength but turn into chaos, and American families pay the price," she wrote.
Harris said the American public did not support such military actions and accused Trump of misleading people.

"The American people do not want this, and they are tired of being lied to. This is not about drugs or democracy. It is about oil and Donald Trump's desire to play the regional strongman. If he cared about either, he wouldn't pardon a convicted drug trafficker or sideline Venezuela's legitimate opposition while pursuing deals with Maduro's cronies," she added. Harris, who contested the recent presidential election against Trump, also warned that the operation could put US troops at risk and lacked any legal basis or exit plan. "The President is putting troops at risk, spending billions, destabilising a region, and offering no legal authority, no exit plan, and no benefit at home. America needs leadership whose priorities are lowering costs for working families, enforcing the rule of law, strengthening alliances, and, most importantly, putting the American people first," she wrote.

The US Embassy in Venezuela has warned that the security situation in Venezuela remains fluid, urging US citizens not to travel to the country. It also advised citizens already present in the country to exercise heightened caution. The embassy said in a statement that Venezuela remains under the highest US Travel Advisory classification due to “severe risks to Americans, including wrongful detention, crime, civil unrest, and limited access to health care.

The embassy also noted that no commercial flights are currently operating in or out of Venezuela, further complicating travel and evacuation options for foreign nationals. According to the statement, the US Department of State withdrew all diplomatic personnel from the US Embassy in the Venezuelan capital Caracas in March 2019 and suspended operations.

At least 40 people, including civilians and soldiers, were killed during a US military attack targeting Venezuela to “abduct” President Nicolas Maduro, according to a report published by the New York Times. Citing a senior Venezuelan official who spoke on condition of anonymity, the report said, "At least 40 people, including civilians and soldiers, were killed in the attack."

US officials told the newspaper that the assault involved a large-scale aerial campaign aimed at disabling Venezuela’s air defences before ground forces were deployed. "More than 150 US aircraft were dispatched to knock out air defences so military helicopters could deliver troops who assaulted Maduro’s position," the report said, citing US officials. There was no immediate public confirmation from the White House or the Pentagon regarding the casualty figures or the full scope of the operation.

Venezuela's Supreme Court late Saturday ordered Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to become the country's interim leader, after the United States seized President Nicolas Maduro and whisked him out of the country.

The high court ruled that Rodriguez "assume and exercise, in an acting capacity, all the attributes, duties and powers inherent to the office of President...to guarantee administrative continuity and the comprehensive defense of the nation." The judges stopped short of declaring Maduro permanently absent from office, a ruling that requires holding elections within 30 days. (AFP).

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrived Saturday evening at a military base in the United States and was transferred to New York City, after his capture by US forces in Caracas. FBI agents surrounded Maduro as he descended from a US government plane and slowly escorted him along the tarmac at a National Guard facility in New York state.

The leftist leader was then flown by helicopter to Manhattan, where a large law enforcement contingent awaited, AFP images showed. The 63-year-old leader was to be taken first to the offices of the US Drug Enforcement Administration, then to the Metropolitan Detention Center, a federal facility in Brooklyn, according to US media.

The detention center is the same jail where rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs was held throughout his trial last year. Maduro and his wife are to be arraigned at an unspecified date before a judge in New York. They have been charged with "narco-terrorism," importing tons of cocaine into the United States, and possession of illegal weapons. (AFP).

"The Venezuelan people are today liberated from the dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro and cannot but celebrate it. By seizing power and trampling on fundamental freedoms, Nicolás Maduro has committed a grave affront against the dignity of his own people. The transition that is now opening must be peaceful, democratic, and respectful of the will of the Venezuelan people. We hope that President Edmundo González Urrutia, elected in 2024, can ensure this transition as soon as possible. At this moment, I am holding conversations with our regional partners. France is fully mobilized and vigilant, particularly to guarantee the safety of its citizens in these hours of uncertainty," said French President Emmanuel Macron.

"I was briefed this morning on the U.S. military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, as well as their planned imprisonment in federal custody here in New York City. Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law. This blatant pursuit of regime change doesn’t just affect those abroad, it directly impacts New Yorkers, including tens of thousands of Venezuelans who call this city home. My focus is their safety and the safety of every New Yorker, and my administration will continue to monitor the situation and issue relevant guidance," said newly sworn-in New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Nicolas Maduro is Venezuela's "only president" his vice president Delcy Rodriguez said Saturday, demanding the United States release the strongman arrested in a military operation Saturday.

Speaking live on television, Rodriguez demanded "the immediate release of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. The only president of Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduro."

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said Saturday the government was ready "to defend" the country after an early-morning operation in which the US military seized strongman Nicolas Maduro and his wife. Rodriguez, who is next in line to succeed Maduro, insisted in a live address that "We are ready to defend Venezuela; we are ready to defend our natural resources" after US President Donald Trump said Washington intends to "run" the Caribbean nation and tap its huge oil reserves. (AFP)

In a much-awaited address after the strike on Venezuela and capture of its President Nicolas Maduro, US President Donald Trump said, "We are going to run Venezuela." He further said, "We are going to fix the oil infrastructure in Venezuela and start making money for the country."

Trump said the US will continue to run Venezuela till a safe and judicious transition is ensured in the country. He said the US wants peace in Venezuela and wants to install a regime which has the good of the Venezuelan people in mind.

The US President said Maduro and his wife will face trial in New York and the crimes committed by them will be presented in a court of law. He said, "As everyone knows, the oil business in Venezuela has been a bust, a total bust for a long period of time. They were pumping almost nothing by comparison to what they could have been pumping and what could have taken place. We're going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country."

Trump while addressing the media said that the US forces went against a heavily fortified military fortress in the heart of Caracas to bring Maduro to justice. He compared it to previous military operations against Iran - including against nuclear targets. "No nation in the world could achieve what America achieved yesterday," he said.

All Venezuelan military capabilities were rendered powerless in the attack, he claimed. He added the lights of Caracas were turned off during the operation due to a certain expertise that the US has. "Both Maduro and his wife "now face American justice" said Trump, adding they have been indicted in the southern district of New York for their "campaign of deadly narco-terrorism" against the US and its citizens.

The President further said, "We want peace, liberty and justice for the great people of Venezuela, and that includes many from Venezuela that are now living in the United States and want to go back to their country. It's their homeland. We can't take a chance at somebody else takes over Venezuela that doesn't have the good of the Venezuelan people in mind. We've had decades of that. We're not going to let that happen."

In view of recent developments in Venezuela, the Ministry of External Affairs has advised Indian nationals to avoid all non-essential travel to Venezuela.
"All Indians who are in Venezuela for any reason are advised to exercise extreme caution, restrict their movements, and remain in contact with Embassy of India in Caracas through their email id: cons.caracas@mea.gov.in or the emergency phone number +58-412-9584288 (also for WhatsApp calls)," said a statement issued by the MEA.

Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General of The UN said," The Secretary-General is deeply alarmed by the recent escalation in Venezuela, culminating with today’s United States military action in the country, which has potential worrying implications for the region".

"Independently of the situation in Venezuela, these developments constitute a dangerous precedent. The Secretary-General continues to emphasize the importance of full respect - by all - of international law, including the UN Charter. He’s deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected. The Secretary-General calls on all actors in Venezuela to engage in inclusive dialogue, in full respect of human rights and the rule of law," Stéphane said.

US President Donald Trump said Saturday that Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro was captured from a highly guarded "fortress," adding that no Americans were killed in the operation.

"He was in a fortress," Trump told Fox News in a telephone interview.

"You know, that we had nobody killed was amazing," he said, adding that a "couple of guys were hit, but they came back and they're supposed to be in pretty good shape." (AFP)

The Trump administration said Saturday that Venezuela's captured leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife will face "the full wrath of American justice" under drug and terrorism charges.

Attorney General Pamela Bondi posted on X that Maduro and his wife -- who were earlier removed from Venezuela by the US military, according to Washington -- "will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts."

Bondi recalled the Maduros face charges in New York federal court on existing "Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy" charges.

The EU called for "restraint" and respect for international law in Venezuela on Saturday after President Donald Trump announced US forces had captured leader Nicolas Maduro in a large-scale assault.

"The EU has repeatedly stated that Mr Maduro lacks legitimacy and has defended a peaceful transition," the bloc's top diplomat Kaja Kallas wrote on X after speaking with her US counterpart Marco Rubio. "Under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected. We call for restraint," she wrote.

Venezuela on Saturday demanded an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the US attacks on the country, amid uncertainty over the whereabouts of President Nicolas Maduro.

"Faced with the criminal aggression committed by the US government against our homeland, we have requested an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council, which is responsible for upholding international law," Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil wrote on the Telegram messaging platform. (AFP)

A top US diplomat said Saturday that Venezuela was experiencing a "new dawn" after President Donald Trump said US forces seized leftist leader Nicolas Maduro. "A new dawn for Venezuela! The tyrant is gone. He will now -- finally -- face justice for his crimes," Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau wrote on X.

Trinidad and Tobago PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar said her country was not a participant in the US' military operations in Venezuela. "Earlier this morning, Saturday 3rd January 2026, the United States commenced military operations within the territory of Venezuela. Trinidad and Tobago is NOT a participant in any of these ongoing military operations. Trinidad and Tobago continues to maintain peaceful relations with the people of Venezuela," she said in a post on X.

Spain on Saturday offered to mediate in the crisis between the United States and Venezuela after US attacks on Caracas and the capture of President Nicolas Maduro, who was flown out of his country.

"Spain calls for de-escalation and restraint," the foreign ministry said in a statement. Spain had not recognised the results of the July 28, 2024 elections, officially won by Maduro but contested by the opposition, whose candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia fled Venezuela for Madrid after the vote.

Spain "has welcomed, and will continue to welcome, tens of thousands of Venezuelans forced to leave their country for political reasons, and … stands ready to help in the search for a democratic, negotiated, and peaceful solution for the country," the ministry added.

In the 2024 elections, Maduro was declared the winner by the National Electoral Council which did not publish the exact tally from polling stations, citing a cyberattack. The Venezuelan opposition denounced electoral fraud targeting its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who had stepped in at the last minute to replace opposition leader Maria Corina Machado after she was ruled ineligible.

A few weeks later, he fled Venezuela aboard a Spanish military plane and was granted asylum. Machado, who recently received the Nobel Peace Prize and managed to go and meet him in Stockholm under dramatic circumstances, has been living in hiding in Venezuela since the vote. A large part of the international community does not recognise the result of the presidential election that allowed Maduro to embark on a third consecutive six-year term. (AFP)

Venezuela accused the United States of hitting residential areas in a wave of strikes early Saturday, and announced a major deployment of military resources.

The "invading" US forces "have desecrated our soil, going so far as to strike, using missiles and rockets fired from their combat helicopters, residential areas populated by civilians," Venezuela's Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said in a video statement shared on social media.

He also said the South American country would launch a "massive deployment of all land, air, naval, riverine and missile capabilities... for comprehensive defense." (APF)

The United States has completed its military action in Venezuela after capturing leftist leader Nicolas Maduro, a US senator said Saturday, quoting Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

"He anticipates no further action in Venezuela now that Maduro is in US custody," Senator Mike Lee, a Republican initially critical of the operation, wrote on X after what he said was a telephone call with Rubio.

He added that Rubio informed him that Maduro has been arrested by US personnel to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States, and that "the kinetic action we saw tonight was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant".

Russia condemned the US military action in Venezuela on Saturday, saying there was no tenable justification for the attack and that "ideological hostility" had prevailed over diplomacy.

"This morning, the United States committed an act of armed aggression against Venezuela. This is deeply concerning and condemnable," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"Ideological hostility has triumphed over businesslike pragmatism," it added. (AFP)

Caracas: Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez on Saturday called on the United States to issue "proof of life" of leader Nicolas Maduro, who was captured by US forces, according to President Donald Trump.

Speaking by telephone to Venezuelan TV, Rodriguez said she did not know the whereabouts of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, following a series of US strikes on Caracas and other cities. Trump said Maduro and Flores had been captured by US forces and flown out of Venezuela. (AFP)

Iran on Saturday condemned the American attack on Venezuela, after Caracas accused the United States of being behind explosions that rocked the capital. The Iranian foreign ministry, in a statement, said it "strongly condemns the American military attack on Venezuela and the flagrant violation of the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country".

The reaction came as Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro weas captured and flown from the country by US as President Donald Trump announced early Saturday after confirming that the US forces conducted what he called “a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader.” In a post on social media, Trump said Maduro’s wife was also seized in the operation conducted along with US law enforcement. Trump said he planned to deliver a statement later Saturday morning.

In a significant development, US President Donald Trump on Saturday said that the United States 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 US Law Enforcement. Details to follow. There will be a News Conference today at 11 AM, at Mar-a-Lago. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

US President Donald Trump ordered strikes on military sites in Venezuela, CBS News reported, after several explosions rocked Caracas, even though the White House and the Pentagon have made any official comments. The Venezuelan government said in a statement that it rejected and denounced US military aggression.

As explosions rang out in Venezuela's capital early Saturday and the government accused the United States of attacking civilian and military installations, there was no immediate response from the US government.

Associated Press reported that the Pentagon referred requests for comment to the White House, which didn’t immediately return calls or emails seeking comment. "Calls to the US Southern Command, which oversees military operations in the region, went unanswered," the AP said.

US President Donald Trump is at his private club in Palm Beach, Florida, where he has spent the last two weeks for the holiday season. His public schedule showed he was set to receive an intelligence briefing on Friday evening, hours before the reported strikes. He offered no immediate comment on social media.

The explosions come as the Trump administration has escalated a pressure campaign on Maduro, who has been charged with narco-terrorism in the United States. The CIA was behind a drone strike last week at a docking area believed to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels in what was the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the US began strikes in September.

Trump for months had threatened that he could soon order strikes on targets on Venezuelan land following months of attacks on boats accused of carrying drugs. Maduro has decried the US military operations as a thinly veiled effort to oust him from power.

Amid the US allegedly bombing Venezuela, people in the capital, Caracas, rushed to their windows and terraces in the middle of the night to try to make sense of events.

"From here, we can hear explosions near Fort Tiuna," said Emmanuel Parabavis, referring to a large military base in the capital. "Right now, you can hear something that sounds like a machine gun. There are a lot of detonations and gunfire," Parabavis, 29, a public relations employee in the El Valle district, told AFP.

Power has been cut in certain parts of the city, according to residents.

Francis Pena, a 29-year-old communications professional living in eastern Caracas, told AFP that he was sleeping and his girlfriend woke him and said "they're bombing." "I can't see the explosions, but I (think I) hear the planes. We're starting to prepare a bag with the most important things at home -- passport, cards, cash, candles, a change of clothes, canned food," Pena said.

US President Donald Trump, who deployed an aircraft carrier and warships to the Caribbean as part of what he initially presented as an anti-drug smuggling campaign, had repeatedly threatened strikes on Venezuelan soil. He said on Monday the United States had hit and destroyed a docking area for alleged Venezuelan drug boats, in what would be the first known land strike of the campaign.

Maduro had neither confirmed nor denied that strike, but said on Thursday he was open to cooperation with Washington. The Trump administration has accused Maduro of heading a drug cartel, but the leftist leader denies any involvement in the narcotics trade, saying Washington is seeking to overthrow him because Venezuela has the largest known reserves of oil on Earth.

Washington has informally closed Venezuela's airspace in recent weeks, imposed more sanctions and ordered the seizure of tankers loaded with Venezuelan oil. US forces have also carried out numerous strikes on boats in both the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean since September, targeting what Washington says are drug smugglers. The strikes have killed at least 107 people, according to the US military.

Venezuela accused the United States of an "extremely serious military aggression" after explosions rocked the capital Caracas in the early hours of Saturday following a months-long pressure campaign by President Donald Trump.

The blasts, accompanied by the sound of planes flying over the city, were heard around 2:00 am (0600 GMT) Saturday, an AFP journalist said. Explosions were also heard in La Guaira, north of the capital, where Caracas's airport and port are located.

"Venezuela rejects, repudiates, and denounces before the international community the extremely serious military aggression perpetrated by the current government of the United States of America against Venezuelan territory and people," the government of leftist President Nicolas Maduro said. The Venezuelan leader also declared a state of emergency.

The president of neighbouring Colombia called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations over the strikes. "Alerting the whole world that they have attacked Venezuela," leftist leader Gustavo Petro wrote on social media platform X.

The FAA’s warning, known as “Notice to Airmen,” came shortly after one in the morning on the east coast of the US. It warned all commercial and private US pilots that the airspace over Venezuela and the small island nation of Curacao, just off the coast of the country to the north, was off-limits “due to safety-of-flight risks associated with ongoing military activity.” The warnings are designed to alert pilots to a variety of dangers. (AP)

The explosions in Caracas occurred within less than 30 minutes. People in various neighbourhoods rushed to the streets. while others took to social media to report hearing and seeing the blasts. Two hours later, various areas of the city remained without power, but vehicles continued to move freely.

Smoke could be seen rising from the hangar of a military base in Caracas. Another military installation in the capital was without power. “The whole ground shook. This is horrible. We heard explosions and planes,” said Carmen Hidalgo, a 21-year-old office worker, her voice trembling. She was walking briskly with two relatives, returning from a birthday party. “We felt like the air was hitting us.” (AP)

Amid chaos following the air strikes, Venezuela's government called on its supporters to take to the streets. “People to the streets!” it 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 Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro had "ordered all national defense plans to be implemented" and declared "a state of external disturbance." That state of emergency gives him the power to suspend people’s rights and expand the role of the armed forces.

The website of the US Embassy in Venezuela, a post that has been closed since 2019, issued a warning to American citizens in the country, saying it was "aware of reports of explosions in and around Caracas." “US citizens in Venezuela should shelter in place," the warning said. (AP)

The United States military was behind a series of strikes against the Venezuelan capital Caracas on Saturday, US media reported. The White House and Pentagon have not commented on the explosions and reports of aircraft over the city. US media outlets CBS News and Fox News reported unnamed Trump administration officials confirming that US forces were involved. (AFP)