Maduro was captured in the dead of night by the US army's Delta force - the military's top counter terrorism unit.

15:53, Sat, Jan 3, 2026 Updated: 15:56, Sat, Jan 3, 2026

Nicolas Maduro and his wife waving

President Maduro was captured by US special forces (Image: Getty)

The US government had sought the arrest of Nicolás Maduro for years, offering a reward of US$50 million (£37m) for any information helping to lead to his capture. As far back as March 2020, a US court had indicted the former Venezuelan President for participating in narco-terrorism.

Federal prosecutors alleged at the time that Maduro and other senior Venezuelan government officials collaborated with FARC to traffic cocaine and weapons to the United States. FARC is a paramilitary group that has waged war against the Colombian state and its military for many decades. Maduro was captured in the dead of night by the US army's Delta force - the military's top counter terrorism unit.

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donald trump looking serious

Donald Trump had increased the pressure on Maduro (Image: Getty)

The crack army unit was also responsible for the 2019 killing of the Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Around 02:00 local time (06:00 GMT), loud explosions were heard in the capital Caracas, while plumes of smoke were seen rising over the city.

Videos of explosions and helicopters flying overhead were later circulated on social media.

Donald Trump confirmed on Saturday morning the capture of the former Venezuelan President and his wife, Cilia Flores. The US President told Fox and Friends that the couple were taken from "a house that was more like a fortress".

He said US forces were equipped with "massive blowtorches" to cut through steel, but said Maduro "did not make it into that area of the house".

Trump added no US forces were killed and there were "few" injuries in the operation, which he said he watched live.

Maduro and his wife were transported to a ship after being seized and were on their way to the US.

The US attorney general, Pam Bondi, said the couple would face criminal charges and trial in the US based on the 2020 New York indictment.

In a social media post, she said they would “soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts”.

Venezuela's Vice President Delcy Rodríguez demanded immediate “proof of life” ​for the couple and accused the US of “murdering humble and innocent Venezuelan men and women”.