Donald Trump says US forces have captured the Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro following large-scale strikes in Venezuela. The strikes inside Venezuela come after a US pressure campaign against the Maduro government, which the Trump administration accuses of flooding the US with drugs and gang members. Trump blames Nicolás Maduro for the arrival of hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants in the US. Without providing evidence, Trump has accused Maduro of "emptying his prisons and insane asylums" and "forcing" its inmates to migrate to the US. There has been a build up of pressure on the Maduro government since Trump began his second term in office last January.

Source: The Star January 03, 2026 16:40 UTC