The President of the United States, Donald Trump, affirmed this Friday that Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been captured by U.S. forces after a large-scale military operation in Venezuela. The statement was published by the president himself on his social network Truth Social, where he assured that both were taken out of the country by plane and that more details will be provided in the coming hours.
Maduro has been captured, according to Trump
“The United States has successfully carried out a large-scale attack against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who was captured and flown, along with his wife, out of the country. This operation was carried out in cooperation with U.S. law enforcement,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
In the same message, the President announced that there will be a press conference at 11:00 a.m. at Mar-a-Lago, his residence in Florida.
At the time of this publication, no official statement has been issued by the Venezuelan Government confirming or denying the alleged capture.
The statement comes in a context of high tension between Washington and Caracas, following reports of detonations in Caracas.
As well as restrictions on Venezuelan airspace imposed by the FAA and previous accusations by the U.S. government of drug trafficking and links to criminal organizations, accusations that the Maduro government has repeatedly rejected.
An announcement with major implications
If confirmed, the capture of a sitting head of state would have far-reaching legal, diplomatic and geopolitical implications for both the region and the international community.
For the Hispanic community in the United States, the announcement is especially relevant because of its potential impact on immigration policies, sanctions, asylum, oil prices and the safety of family members residing in Venezuela.
Millions of Venezuelans live in the U.S. and closely follow any developments that may alter the situation in the country.
Expectations for the press conference
Trump said he will provide details at a press conference scheduled for 11:00 a.m. ET at Mar-a-Lago.
The U.S. government is expected to clarify the scope of the operation, the legal status of Maduro and Flores, and whether there are formal charges or legal proceedings underway.
Meanwhile, analysts and governments are watching cautiously.
The absence of official confirmation and pronouncements from Caracas keeps the episode in the realm of an unverified presidential assertion.
QuéOnnda will continue to update this information as official confirmations or communications from the parties involved arise.
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