President Donald Trump took to Truth Social early Saturday morning to announce the capture and removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro during “a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader” by U.S. forces.
“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,” Trump wrote. “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.”
Trump warned Christmas Eve that if Maduro “plays tough, it’ll be the last time he’ll ever be able to play tough.”
Multiple explosions and sightings of low-flying aircraft were reported in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, The Associated Press (AP) reported. The apparently toppled Venezuelan dictator, who had been the target of an extended pressure campaign by the Trump administration to leave office, blamed the U.S. for the attack, which reportedly stretched across the South American country.
The U.S. Army’s elite special forces unit, Delta Force, executed the operation, CBS News reported, citing unnamed officials. The attack is the most recent escalation of U.S. military action in the region, following positioning of multiple Navy warships, the seizure of two oil tankers, and strikes against at least 30 boats intelligence believed to be running drugs to the U.S.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) banned U.S. commercial flights from Venezuelan airspace due to “ongoing military activity” ahead of the reported explosions.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
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