Venezuelan officials accuse Washington of a deadly nighttime assault, report casualties, urge international condemnation, and warn against disinformation amid uncertainty over leadership safety.

Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab on Saturday condemned US military strikes on the country, describing it as a “cowardly and despicable attack” on Venezuela. He said warnings previously issued by President Nicolas Maduro about imperial aggression had now materialized into what he called a direct threat of bloodshed.

Saab said the operation caused civilian casualties, including wounded and dead, branding it a “terrorist attack” carried out under cover of darkness to “defile the Venezuelan people.”

He demanded confirmation of the safety and whereabouts of President Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, holding the US government fully responsible for any harm that may befall them.

Calling for international action, Saab urged the United Nations and global human rights groups to issue public condemnations. He also appealed to Venezuelans to remain calm and resist what he described as attempts to spread disinformation aimed at undermining public morale.

Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said Venezuelan soldiers and civilians were killed in the strikes and demanded proof that President Maduro and his wife are alive, adding that authorities had no confirmed information on the president’s location.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said threats against Caracas had persisted for “28 weeks”, calling for vigilance and composure. He insisted the country would endure, declaring that the Venezuelan people “will prevail, and the homeland will live on with the president always.”

Venezuela demands emergency UNSC session over US strikes

Concurrently, Venezuela formally requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to address what it described as US bombings targeting the country, as uncertainty persists over the whereabouts of President Nicolas Maduro.

In a statement published on Telegram, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said the request was made in response to what he called “criminal aggression” carried out by the United States against Venezuela.

He said Caracas was urging the Security Council to fulfill its responsibility to uphold international law and address the escalation.

Venezuelan Defense Minister: US strikes targeted civilian areas

In a similar context, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez denounced US military strikes on the country, stating that the attacks targeted populated civilian areas.

“The invading US forces have desecrated our soil, going so far as to strike, using missiles and rockets fired from their combat helicopters, residential areas populated by civilians,” Lopez said in a video statement posted on social media.

He said missiles and shells fired from helicopters struck urban centers, and authorities are currently gathering information about casualties.

The Venezuelan defense minister went on to say that authorities were collecting “information on the wounded and the dead” following what he described as Washington’s “vile and cowardly attack.”

Lopez added that residential neighborhoods were struck near Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex in southern Caracas, as well as in the surrounding states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira, which encircle the capital.

He said that Venezuela would launch a “massive deployment of all land, air, naval, riverine and missile capabilities… for comprehensive defense.”

The defense minister emphasized that Venezuela “rejects the presence of foreign forces and will resist” any attempt to interfere in the country’s affairs. He described the attack as a “cowardly assault that threatens regional stability” and called on the international community to hold the US government accountable.

The minister also framed the strikes as an affront to Venezuela’s sovereignty, describing the invasion as “the greatest humiliation to the country, driven by an insatiable greed for our strategic resources.” 

Trump says Maduro was captured and flown out

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said that the US forces “captured” and flew out Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, along with his wife, early on Saturday.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, “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.”

“This operation was done in conjunction with US Law Enforcement,” the US president said, adding, “Details to follow.”

Trump said that a news conference will be held at 11:00 am (EST) at Mar-a-Lago, in reference to his resort in Florida. These remarks are the first official US confirmation of military action in Venezuela.

Later, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, in a voice message to state television, said that the Venezuelan government does not know the whereabouts of President Maduro and his wife.

Heavy airstrikes hit Caracas

Earlier on Saturday, Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, came under heavy US airstrikes and a reported aerial assault led by numerous military attack and transport helicopters. Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Caracas reported loud explosions across the city and intense military aircraft activity, with power outages affecting multiple neighborhoods.

The attacks hit both civilian and military installations, including the Fort Tiuna military complex, La Carlota air base, and Higuerote Airport. Venezuelan media reported explosions at La Guaira port in Vargas state, the country’s largest seaport, while footage shared by citizens showed military transport helicopters flying over Caracas.