Venezuela, dead and wounded. USA: Maduro indicted in New York for drugs, weapons and terrorism

More details came in during the morning. On Fox, former Pentagon Brent Sadler said that just before being captured Maduro was in a car and answering journalists' questions. According to him, there was hardly any resistance from Venezuelans. Meanwhile, internal opposition sources in Caracas quoted by Sky News claim that in reality Maduro's capture and transfer was a "negotiated exit".

The US Justice Minister, Pam Bondi, according to US media reports, said that Nicolas Maduro and his wife were indicted in New York. "Nicolas Maduro and his wife have been indicted in the Southern District of New York. Nicolas Maduro is charged with conspiracy to commit drug trafficking and terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and explosive orders against the United States. They will soon face the full force of American justice on American soil and in American courts,' Bondi said on X. And then: 'On behalf of the Justice Department, I want to thank President Trump for his courage in seeking justice on behalf of the American people. A huge thank you to our brave military personnel who led the mission to capture these two alleged drug traffickers."

Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal, citing sources close to the Venezuelan government, reported thatVice President Delcy Rodriguez is safe and sound. Four sources close to the Venezuelan vice-president told Reuters that she is in Russia, a country traditionally an ally (like China) of Venezuela.

US President Donald Trump "has offered several ways out (to Venezuela) but has been very clear on one point: drug trafficking must stop and stolen oil must be returned. Maduro has found that Trump keeps his promises'. This was stated by Vice President JD Vance applauding those who 'pulled off a very impressive operation'.

The tycoon added, during an interview with Fox:"They wanted" to act four days ago but bad weather did not allow it, stressing that the residence where Maduro was located was a "fortress". "I watched the operation in real time from Mar-a-Lago", pointing out that there were no American "casualties". The president did, however, mention some wounded.

CNN reports that Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were taken from their bedroom in the middle of the night, as they slept, by US forces during the raid that led to their capture.

The US will be 'heavily involved in Venezuela's oil industry', Donald Trump also said. As is well known, Caracas has the largest oil reserves on the planet.

The US president said that 'we are making decisions about Venezuelan leadership' and considering the possibility of activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Machado leading the country instead of Nicolas Maduro. "We are making this decision now. We can't take the risk of letting somebody else run it and take over what they left behind,' Maduro, Trump said in a phone link to Fox News. '"We're going to be very involved. And we want to defend the freedom of the people,' Trump added. Trump said Venezuelans are very happy with Maduro's capture 'because they love the United States' and because the country under Maduro was 'a dictatorship'.

"We're going to have to consider right away" whether to support Maria Corina Machado for the Venezuelan presidency, Trump told Fox News, recalling that "they have a vice president, as you know". Under the Venezuelan Constitution, power should pass to Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, but Trump questioned the legitimacy of the election. "I don't know what kind of election it was. You know, Maduro's election was a disgrace," the US president said. Trump then compared Maduro's election to his failed re-election attempt in 2020. according to the US president, that vote was 'rigged' against him to allow the election of Joe Biden. Maduro's election in Venezuela, 'just like my failed election, was a disgrace', Trump said, adding: '2020 was a disgrace'.

With respect to the targets hit, these include a major Venezuelan port. The Venezuelan opposition says so. David Smolansky, spokesman for the opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, told CBC News that the affected places include: Fuerte Tiuna, Caracas' main military base; La Carlota, Caracas' main air base; El Volcán, a signal antenna; and the Port of La Guaira, a seaport on the Caribbean coast.

An Ansa journalist on the scene reports that there were numerous explosions and fires affecting military areas in the Caracas metropolitan area in the early hours of Saturday morning. In the 23 de Enero neighbourhood in western Caracas, where Chavista groups are concentrated, a heavy explosion accompanied by sirens and aircraft overflights was reported. Incidents also occurred at the Mamo Military Academy in La Guaira, 40 kilometres from the capital. Other affected areas include La Carlota air base and Higuerote airport, with smaller explosions.

The Venezuelan government 'denounces the very serious military aggression' of the United States. President Nicolas Maduro, before being captured, had declared a state of emergency and called for the 'mobilisation' of the population.

Venezuelan news outlets Efecto Cocuyo and Tal Cual Digital reported that explosions were also heard in the state of La Guaira, north of Caracas, on the country's coast and in Higuerote, a coastal city in the state of Miranda.

A video obtained and verified by CNN shows two plumes of smoke rising in the night sky between the lights of Caracas. An orange glow can be seen at the base of one of the plumes. Then a flash is briefly seen at another location, followed by a roar.

Venezuela, also in the Italian morning, called for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council. "No cowardly attack will prevail against the strength of this people, who will emerge victorious," said Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto, according to CNN reports. Moscow joins the call. The permanent mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations confirmed to the Tass news agency that it had 'sent a request to hold a UN Security Council meeting on Venezuela to the Somali mission, which currently holds the presidency of the Security Council'.

"We can confirm that there are fatal casualties, civilian and military. There is damage in civilian and military installations', consequences of 'a truly disproportionate and cowardly attack, of the cowardice of those who have no reason'. This was reported by the Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Yvan Gil, in statements to the Spanish national radio station Rne.