New Delhi: In the early hours on Saturday, the US military targeted Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, with at least seven explosions, and low-flying aircraft were heard at the capital. In the process, the US captured Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro and flown out of the country, US President Donald Trump confirmed.
Maduro’s wife has also been captured by the US, and both have been charged with drug and weapons offenses in New York. The explosion was reported at Caracas’ airport and also at military bases.
In the aftermath, the Venezuelan government demanded proof of whether their leader is still alive or not. Additionally, a national emergency has been declared in the state.
But in between the chaos, the first question that rose was why the US captured Venezuela’s president.
The tensions were rising between both countries as the US has accused Maduro’s involvement in drug smuggling and being an usurping leader. The Venezuelan president had accused the US of intimidation.
What we know so far about the US-Venezuela war
The Venezuelan President was captured by the US military troops, but there is no information disclosed yet on how Maduro was detained or where he has been taken into custody.
The top US counterterrorism unit, Delta Force, has carried out the operation, as this is one of the most elite troop units in the world. Delta also carried out the 2019 mission of killing former Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
The US President will now hold a conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida at 9:30 pm IST. Trump will likely disclose the details about the operation.
Where did the attack happen?
The loud explosions were heard, and plumes of smoke were rising over the city at 2:00 local time. The videos of aircraft flying and explosions were circulated on social media. There are three confirmed locations as of now so far, according to the BBC.
- Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda Air Base, an airfield known as La Carlota.
- Port La Guaira, Caracas’ main conduit to the Caribbean Sea, located in Miranda state
- Higuerote Airport, also located in Miranda state, just east of Caracas.
more to follow…