CARACAS – Venezuela accused the United States of conducting “extremely serious military aggression” after explosions rocked the capital Caracas in the early hours Saturday, marking a dramatic escalation in months of mounting pressure from President Donald Trump’s administration.
US media outlets including Fox News and CBS News reported that American forces were conducting military strikes on the Caribbean nation, following weeks of threats from the Trump administration. The White House and Pentagon have not commented on the alleged attacks.
The blasts, accompanied by the sound of aircraft flying overhead, were heard around 02:00 local time, according to an AFP journalist in the city. Explosions were also reported in La Guaira, north of the capital, where Caracas’s main airport and port are located.
“Venezuela rejects, repudiates, and denounces before the international community the extremely serious military aggression perpetrated by the current government of the United States of America against Venezuelan territory and people,” the government of leftist President Nicolas Maduro said in an official statement.
Maduro declared a state of emergency following the reported strikes.
Regional response
The president of neighboring Colombia called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council over the attacks.
“Alerting the whole world that they have attacked Venezuela,” Colombian President Gustavo Petro wrote on social media platform X.
Residents describe chaos
Confusion and fear gripped Caracas as the strikes began, with residents rushing to windows and terraces to understand what was happening.
“From here, we can hear explosions near Fort Tiuna,” said Emmanuel Parabavis, 29, referring to a large military base in the capital. “Right now, you can hear something that sounds like a machine gun. There are a lot of detonations and gunfire.”
Francis Pena, a 29-year-old communications professional in eastern Caracas, told AFP he was awakened by his girlfriend saying “they’re bombing.”
“I can’t see the explosions, but I hear the planes,” Pena said. “We’re starting to prepare a bag with the most important things — passport, cards, cash, candles, a change of clothes, canned food.”
Power outages were reported in several parts of the city.
Background of tensions
The alleged strikes come after Trump deployed an aircraft carrier and warships to the Caribbean as part of what he initially described as an anti-drug smuggling campaign, while repeatedly threatening military action against Venezuela.
On Monday, Trump claimed US forces had struck and destroyed a docking area for alleged Venezuelan drug boats, marking what would be the first known land strike of the campaign.
While Maduro neither confirmed nor denied that earlier strike, he said Thursday he remained open to cooperation with Washington.
Drug war allegations
The Trump administration has accused Maduro of heading a drug cartel, charges the leftist leader denies. Maduro contends Washington seeks to overthrow his government because Venezuela possesses the world’s largest known oil reserves.
In recent weeks, the US has informally closed Venezuela’s airspace, imposed additional sanctions, and ordered the seizure of tankers carrying Venezuelan oil.
US forces have conducted numerous strikes on boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean since September, targeting what Washington describes as drug smuggling operations. According to the US military, these operations have resulted in at least 107 deaths.
