US strikes Venezuela and captures Maduro, Trump says

The U.S. carried out a “large scale strike” against Venezuela early Saturday, capturing leader Nicolás Maduro and flying him out of the country, U.S. President Donald Trump said.

“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 said in a post on social media.

“This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. Details to follow,” Trump added.

He said there will be a press conference at Mar-a-Lago later Saturday, at 11 a.m. local time.

The government of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro had accused Washington of launching strikes on the country after explosions rang out early Saturday and low-flying aircraft swept through the capital of Caracas.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration had issued a ban on U.S. commercial flights in Venezuelan airspace because of “ongoing military activity” ahead of the explosions in Caracas, the Associated Press reported. The strikes followed a months-long pressure campaign by the Trump administration.

The attack lasted less than 30 minutes, according to media reports.

Maduro earlier this week rejected Trump’s claims that his government is abetting global narco-trafficking, accusing the White House of inventing a reason to go after the South American country in an interview with state media.