Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez announced on Saturday the uncertain whereabouts of President Nicolás Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores. This follows U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement that both had been "captured and removed from Venezuela."
Rodríguez made this statement during a special broadcast on the state-run channel, Venezolana de Televisión, describing the situation as "a moment of utmost severity for the nation." She emphasized, "We are confronting an unprecedented imperial aggression. So far, it has been impossible to establish communication with either the president or the first lady."
This declaration from Rodríguez came shortly after Trump confirmed on his social media platform, Truth Social, that "the United States successfully executed a large-scale operation against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolás Maduro."
The U.S. president announced a press conference in Mar-a-Lago at 11:00 a.m. (Florida local time) to provide further details about the operation.
Meanwhile, the Venezuelan government has maintained the state of emergency declared early in the morning, with reports of ongoing attacks in Caracas, Aragua, La Guaira, and Miranda. Colombian President Gustavo Petro has called for urgent meetings of the United Nations and the Organization of American States to address the crisis.
From Havana, Miguel Díaz-Canel condemned the attack, demanding an "urgent international response," labeling the U.S. actions as "state terrorism against the brave Venezuelan people and against Our America."
Unresolved Tensions in Caracas
The situation in Caracas remains precarious. Local authorities have reported power outages, explosions in military zones, and a heavy troop presence in Fuerte Tiuna and Miraflores. There has been no official confirmation regarding Maduro's location.
Delcy Rodríguez has demanded that the U.S. provide proof of life for Maduro and Cilia Flores. She confirmed the government's lack of knowledge regarding their whereabouts following the American assaults on Venezuela.
"In the face of this brutal situation and attack, we are unaware of the whereabouts of President Nicolás Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores. We demand immediate proof of life from President Donald Trump's administration," Rodríguez stated on national television.
The vice president noted that Maduro had previously warned of "an aggression of this nature due to the United States' desperation and energy greed." She added, "The president was very clear with the Venezuelan people: provocations and aggressions might occur aimed at seizing our resources."
Rodríguez reiterated that Venezuela is enduring "an unprecedented imperial aggression" and called on the international community to "reject the abduction" of the president. Meanwhile, bombings persist in various parts of the country, and the state of emergency remains in effect.
As of now, there is no confirmation of Maduro's whereabouts nor images to validate the U.S. claims of his and Cilia Flores' capture.
Current Crisis in Venezuela: Questions and Answers
What is Delcy Rodríguez's role in the Venezuelan government?
Delcy Rodríguez serves as the Vice President of Venezuela, and she has been a key spokesperson in communicating the government's stance during the current crisis.
What actions has the U.S. claimed to take against Venezuela?
The U.S. President Donald Trump announced a successful large-scale operation against Venezuela, which reportedly led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores.
How has the international community reacted to the situation?
The crisis has prompted calls for urgent meetings by Colombian President Gustavo Petro and condemnation from Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel, who labeled the U.S. actions as state terrorism.