Smoke rises at La Carlota airport in Venezuela.
Smoke rises at La Carlota airport after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, January 3, 2026 [Matias Delacroix/AP Photo]

By Caolán Magee and Urooba Jamal

Published On 3 Jan 20263 Jan 2026

  • President Donald Trump says the United States ⁠has “captured” Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and flown them out of ⁠the country after “large-scale” strikes.
  • Earlier, Venezuela’s government accused the US of attacking civilian and military installations in multiple states, as ‍it rejected “military aggression” ‍by Washington. The government of President Maduro had declared ‌a national ‌emergency following the series of attacks.