The United States carried out a major military attack in Venezuela early Saturday morning (3rd January). At least 40 people, including civilians and soldiers, were killed after the attack. A senior Venezuelan official told The New York Times that the death toll was based on early information and reflects the heavy damage caused during the operation in and around Caracas.
The strikes took place during a nighttime mission that also led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife by U.S. Special Operations forces.
The operation began around 2 a.m. and continued for more than two hours. According to U.S. officials, more than 150 American aircraft were used to weaken Venezuela’s air defences before helicopters moved in to deliver troops to Maduro’s compound. After the mission was completed, Maduro and his wife were flown out of the country and taken to New York City, where they are set to face federal drug charges under a new indictment.
U.S. President Donald Trump spoke about the attack during an interview with Fox News. He said that no U.S. troops were killed during the operation, though he added that some American service members may have been injured. General Dan Caine later said that U.S. helicopters came under fire while extracting Maduro. One helicopter was hit but remained flyable, and all U.S. aircraft returned safely.
While the main focus of the mission was the capture of Maduro, the worst suffering was seen among the local people. In Catia La Mar, a low-income area near Caracas airport, an airstrike hit a three-storey residential building. The blast destroyed part of the building’s outer wall, leaving homes open and filled with rubble. Furniture, walls, and personal belongings were left scattered across the site.
The strike killed 80-year-old Rosa Gonzalez, her family said, and seriously injured another woman. Rosa’s nephew, Wilman Gonzalez, said the explosion happened suddenly in the middle of the night. He was injured by flying debris and needed stitches on his face. Hours later, he stood near the damaged building, pointing to the spot where the strike hit, saying he did not know where he would live now.
Residents gathered quietly outside the building as the day went on. Some people were praying, while others were angry and shocked. A 70-year-old man named Jorge said he had lost everything in the attack. Another resident, Javier, said the strike showed that the lives of people in the area meant nothing, blaming foreign greed linked to Venezuela’s oil fields.
Locals said four men tried to save Rosa Gonzalez by taking her to a hospital on a motorbike, but she was declared dead on arrival. The other injured woman survived and remains in critical condition.
