Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro reportedly issued a statement on television and radio early Saturday, calling the U.S. attack on Venezuela an “attack on Venezuelan sovereignty.”
This came after President Donald Trump announced that Maduro and his wife, Celia Flores, had been “captured and shipped out of the country” following a “massive attack” by US forces. Attorney General Pam Bondi later said Maduro and Flores were indicted on charges including conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism.
Maduro reportedly claimed in comments broadcast on state television and radio that US forces had attacked civilian and military installations in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, and in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira. Miami Herald.
“This is an attack on Venezuela’s sovereignty,” Maduro reportedly said, standing alongside military and government officials. “This is an attempt to impose a colonial war and force political change through violence.”
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On January 2, 2026, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro (right) met with President Xi Jinping’s special envoy Qi Xiaoqi in Caracas, Venezuela.
Maduro also described the U.S. action as a “grave military aggression” that violated the United Nations Charter, adding that it threatened peace in Latin America and the Caribbean, the Miami Herald reported.
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In recent months, the United States has been conducting military operations in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific against vessels suspected of drug trafficking.
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Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro speaks to supporters during a rally commemorating the anniversary of the 19th-century Battle of Santa Ynez in Caracas, Venezuela, December 10, 2025.
The Maduro government views Saturday’s U.S. attack as part of a larger U.S. effort to seize Venezuela’s oil and mineral reserves, the Miami Herald reported.
The newspaper reported that state television showed footage of Venezuelan soldiers deploying to strategic infrastructure and officials holding emergency meetings.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro addresses members of the armed forces, Bolivarian militia, police and civilians during a rally at the Castillo Castillo military base in Caracas, Venezuela, on November 25, 2025, against a possible escalation of U.S. action against Venezuela.
The Miami Herald added that as part of Maduro’s response, he also signed a decree declaring a state of “external disturbance” across the country, which gives his government broad powers during emergencies, including mobilizing security forces and restricting certain civil liberties.
Original source of the article: Maduro speaks on state TV as US crackdown on Venezuela begins: Report