al jazeera

By Stephen Quillen and Nils Adler
    The US will be “very strongly involved” in Venezuela’s oil industry, says US President Donald Trump, after the ‘capture’ of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. They are being taken to New York, where they will face indictment.
   Vladimir Padrino Lopez, Venezuela’s defence minister, says the country “will prevail … not negotiate … not give up”. Earlier, Venezuela’s government accused the US of attacking civilian and military installations in multiple states, as ‍it rejected “military aggression” ‍by Washington.
   The attacks came after months of tension with the US, which has accused Maduro of being involved in drug trafficking. The US has carried out more than 20 air strikes in the sea near Venezuela since September. Maduro has denied the accusations.
   On Thursday, Maduro indicated he was open to negotiating a deal with the US to combat drug trafficking.

Trump praises ‘spectacular assault’ in Venezuela

    Trump has hailed what he called a “spectacular assault” to capture Venezuela’s Maduro.

    He said the assault, taking place in a “heavily fortified military fortress in the heart of Caracas”, was one “like people have not seen since World War II”.

    The aim was to bring “dictator Maduro to justice”, he said in an ongoing press conference.

Trump speaking to the media

    President Trump is now speaking to the media following the US attacks on Venezuela.

    Stay with us as we bring you all the latest from the press briefing.

    You can also follow it on our livestream at the top of this page.

Trump posts photo of Maduro aboard US warship

    The US president has posted a photograph he says shows Maduro aboard the US warship USS Iwo Jima.

    The image, posted on Trump’s Truth Social account, appears to show Maduro in a grey tracksuit with a black band covering his eyes and a water bottle in his hand.

Russia calls on US to release Maduro

    Russia, a strong ally of Venezuela, has called on the US to free Maduro and his wife.

    “In ⁠light of confirmed reports that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife are in ‌the United States, we strongly urge the American leadership to ‌reconsider its position and ‌release the ⁠legally elected president of a sovereign country and his ‌wife,” said Russia’s Foreign Ministry in a statement.

Venezuela’s opposition figure says ‘decisive hours’ ahead

    Venezuela’s opposition figure Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, whom the opposition and the US claim won the 2024 election that Maduro was declared the winner of, said the opposition is ready to “rebuild our nation”.

    “Venezuelans, these are decisive hours,” said Urrutia in a Spanish-language post on X, reposting a message by opposition leader Maria Corina Machado calling for him to assume the presidency. “Know that we are ready for the great operation to rebuild our nation.”