Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Trump Claims Maduro ‘Captured & Flown Out’ While Venezuela Demands Proof of Life
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Tensions between Venezuela and the United States escalated sharply over the weekend after explosions shook Caracas. The US embassy closed since 2019 issued an urgent warning to Americans in the Country. Venezuela accused the United States of orchestrating the attacks to seize the nations oil and mineral resources while official confirmation of US involvement is still pending, reports have surfaced that President Donald Trump authorised strikes on Venezuela military targets including in the capital.
Venezuelan Government Accuses US, Declares National Emergency
Venezuela’s government denounced the action as military aggression with President Nicolas Maduro declaring a state of national emergency. President Nicolas Maduro called on political and social organizations to mobilize nationwide, urging unity and vigilance to safeguard national sovereignty. Officials have not provided details on casualties, damage or those responsible for the blasts.
US Flight Restrictions Add to Security Concerns
Further escalating the situation, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a ban on American commercial flights over Venezuelan airspace, citing ongoing military activity. The restriction came shortly before reports of the explosions, raising alarm over aviation safety in the region.
Security forces continue to guard strategic installations across Caracas as residents and the international community await clarity on whether the explosions represent an isolated incident or a broader escalation.
What We Know
- US President Donald Trump says a “large-scale strike” was carried out in Venezuela.
- Trump claims President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of the country.
- CBS News reports that the operation was conducted by the US Army’s Delta Force.
- Venezuela has declared a state of national emergency and condemned the action as a military aggression.
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to Senator Mike Lee, expects no further military action against Venezuela.
- This marks the largest US military deployment in the Americas since the Cold War following weeks of rising tensions.
What We Don’t Know
- The current location of Maduro and his wife.
- Whether the strikes caused any casualties or deaths.
- The extent of damage to Venezuelan infrastructure or areas affected.
- The total number of strikes and their exact locations.
- The full reasoning behind Trump’s decision more details are expected at his 16:00 GMT news conference.
- How the situation will develop next with uncertainty over regional and international responses.
Live Updates
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17:46 (IST) 03 Jan 2026
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Venezuela's Interior Minister Vows Resilience after US Strikes
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Venezuela's Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said on Saturday that the country will overcome the US strikes which reportedly led to the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
"This is not our first battle against our people, we have managed to survive under all circumstances" Cabello told local television.
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17:28 (IST) 03 Jan 2026
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Russia Deems Maduro's Reported Capture by US 'Unacceptable'
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Russia expressed deep concern on Saturday over reports that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his were forcibly removed from the country by the United States.
In a statement cited by Reuters, the Russian Foreign Ministry said "We call for immediate clarification of this situation. Such actions, if they did indeed take place, constitute an unacceptable violation of the sovereignty of an independent state, respect for which is a key principle of international law."
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17:14 (IST) 03 Jan 2026
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: US Officials Say Maduro to Face Criminal Charges in the United States
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Utah Senator Mike Lee reported on Saturday that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed him Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has been arrested by US personnel and will stand trial on criminal charges in the United States.
Lee wrote on X that the military operation was carried out to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant, adding that the action likely falls within the president's authority under Article II of the US Constitution to safeguard American personnel from imminent threats.
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17:08 (IST) 03 Jan 2026
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: EU Calls for Restraint & Respect for International Law in Venezuela
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: The European Union urged restraint and adherence to international law following US President Donald Trump's announcement that US forces Nicolas Maduro.
EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas wrote on X that while the bloc has long questioned Maduro's legitimacy and supported a peaceful transition "under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected. We call for restraint." She added that her comments followed discussions with US counterpart Marco Rubio.
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16:52 (IST) 03 Jan 2026
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Why the US Took Military Action in Venezuela
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: The reported US military operation against Venezuela which allegedly led to the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife has been linked to several factors. These include drug smuggling, large scale migration into the United States and the policies of Maduro's Communist government.
According to Reuters, President Donald Trump had previously pressured Maduro to leave power saying it would be smart for him to step down. The US has also cited Maduro's role in the migration of hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans are estimated to have fled the country since 2013 amid economic collapse and political repression under Maduro's regime.
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16:37 (IST) 03 Jan 2026
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Colombia Deploys Troops to Venezuelan Border after US Strikes
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Colombian President Gustavo Petro said he has ordered the deployment of military forces along the Venezuelan border following US strikes, according to President Donald Trump resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
Petro described Washington's action as an assault on the sovereignty of Latin America and warned they could trigger a humanitarian crisis. While calling for dialogue to resolve the situation, he said on X that security forces have been placed on alert at the border.
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16:32 (IST) 03 Jan 2026
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Spain Offers top Mediate for a Peaceful Solution in Venezuela
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Spain said it is ready to help mediate the crisis between the United States and Venezuela calling for de-escalation and restraint. In a statement, the foreign ministry said Spain is prepared to offer its good officers to support tt a peaceful, negotiated solution to the current situation.
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16:27 (IST) 03 Jan 2026
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Belgium Says it is Coordinating with European Partners on Venezuela
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Belgium's Foreign Minster said the country is closely monitoring developments in Venezuela in coordinating with its European partners. In a post on X, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affair Minister Maxime Prevot said Belgium's embassy in Bogota which covers Venezuela and officials in Brussels are fully mobilised and tracking the situation.
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16:23 (IST) 03 Jan 2026
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates:
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Germany's Foreign Ministry said it was closely monitoring developments in Venezuela with "great concern" following the reported US strikes. In a statement cited by Reuters, the ministry said it was in contact with its embassy in Caracas and that a crisis team would meet later on Saturday to assess the situation.
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16:12 (IST) 03 Jan 2026
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Trump Calls US Strikes on Venezuela a 'Brilliant Operation'
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: US President Donald Trump told The New York Times that the strikes on Venezuela followed extensive planning and describing the operation as brilliant.
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16:09 (IST) 03 Jan 2026
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Russia Condemns US Military Action in Venezuela
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Russia has denounced the United States Military action in Venezuela as deeply concerning and condemnable, according to AFP.
In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said the US had carried out an act of armed aggression that ideology hostility has triumphed over business like pragmatism.
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15:39 (IST) 03 Jan 2026
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Reports Claims US Delta Force Captured President Maduro
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro was captured during an operation carried out by the US Army's elite Delta Force, CBS News reported, citing officials.
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15:37 (IST) 03 Jan 2026
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Defence Ministry accuses US of Bombing Residential Area
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Venezuela Defence Ministry accuses the United States bombing residential areas on Saturday, shortly after US President Donald Trump claimed that President Nicolas Maduro and his wife had been captured during a large scale operation
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15:28 (IST) 03 Jan 2026
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Trump Claims Maduro Captured After 'Large Scale' US Strikes
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: US President Donald Trump said the United States carried out a 'large scale' strike against Venezuela, claiming that President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were captured during the operation. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the action was conducted in coordination with US law enforcement and that further details would follow. He added that a news conference would be held later today at Mar-a-lago.
STATEMENT FROM PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP pic.twitter.com/nHDqtsqRFh
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) January 3, 2026 -
15:23 (IST) 03 Jan 2026
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: First Reaction from US Lawmaker after Caracus Explosion
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Senator Brian Schatz, a Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as among the first US lawmakers to respond to the blast in Venezuela.
He emphasised that the United States has "no vital national interest in Venezuela to justify war".
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15:18 (IST) 03 Jan 2026
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Colombia & Cuba Condemn Reported US Strikes in Venezuela
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: The president of Colombia and Cuba have voiced concern over the escalating situation in Venezuela. Colombian President Gustavo Petro tweeted that his government rejects any unilateral military action that could aggravate the situation or put the civilian population at risk.
Cuban President Migiel Diaz Canel described the strikes as a criminal attack calling on the international community to respond urgently. "Cuba denounces and urgently demands the reaction of the international community against the criminal attack by the US on Venezuela. Our zone of peace is being brutally assaulted" he wrote.
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15:09 (IST) 03 Jan 2026
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: FAA Warns US Pilots to Avoid Venezuelan Airspace Amid Rising Tensions
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a Notice to Airmen shortly after 1 am advising all US commercial and private pilots that the airspace over venezuela and nearby Curacao is closed due to safety risks from ongoing military activity such notice alert pilots to potential hazards that could affect flight safety.
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14:52 (IST) 03 Jan 2026
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Where did blast take place in Venezuela
Venezuela-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Blasts were reported in Venezuela's capital Caracas as well as in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira early on Saturday. Following the strikes, President Nicolas Maduro declared a national; emergency and ordered the mobilisation of the country's defence forces.