by Nicholas Ballasy
President Trump said on Saturday that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been captured and flown out of Venezuela after a large U.S. strike.
The U.S. Army’s Delta Force, which is an elite special forces unit, reportedly conducted the operation.
Eyewitness video obtained by CBS News showed the aftermath of the strike, which reportedly included the mausoleum of notorious former president Hugo Chávez.
“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. Details to follow.”
Maduro is facing criminal charges in the United States, according to Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, who spoke to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“He informed me that Nicolás Maduro has been arrested by U.S. personnel to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States, and that the kinetic action we saw tonight was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant,” Utah Sen. Mike Lee wrote on X Saturday.
Rubio posted his previous remarks about Maduro not being the legitimate president of Venezuela. “Maduro is the head of the Cartel de Los Soles, a narco-terror organization which has taken possession of a country. And he is under indictment for pushing drugs into the United States,” the July statement reads.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado previously said Americans should trust the Trump administration’s actions in Venezuela.
“This is not a legitimate president. This is the head of a criminal structure that was already defeated in a presidential election by a landslide,” she said.
Attorney General Pam Bondi formally announced on Saturday that Venezuela leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York.
“There will be a News Conference today at 11 A.M., at Mar-a-Lago,” Trump wrote.
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Just the News’ reporter Nicholas Ballasy has been breaking news for more than a decade in the nation’s capital and questioning political leaders about the most pressing issues facing the nation. Since 2008, Ballasy has interviewed former President Bill Clinton, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, former President Donald Trump, Sen. Mitt Romney, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. John McCain, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Al Gore, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and more. Tennessee Star Executive Editor Christina Botteri contributed to this report.
