Caracas Chronicles

Some minutes after 1.50 am, explosions and airplanes woke everyone up in Caracas and WhatsApp began to light up across the Venezuelasphere. Between roughly 1:50 a.m. and 3:00 a.m., the US performed a strategic attack hitting different key targets in Venezuela’s capital (Caracas). Fuerte Tiuna, the country’s main military base, was hit from the air as well as a cluster of telecom antennas on El Volcán mountain, the La Carlota airbase in the heart of the city, and several other targets downtown. Donald Trump claimed that Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores had been captured and flown in a helicopter out of Venezuela. Additional strikes hit La Guaira, the closest port city near Caracas.

This is what we know so far.

Who attacked?

This was not a coup, it was the United States. We have footage by witnesses of helicopters passing over. The US government claimed responsibility with Trump himself announcing the attack and the capture of Maduro. Here are some nuggets of T2’s press conference on the attack:

• “We are gonna run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition”, the president said. “We don’t wanna be involved with somebody else getting in and having the same situation that we had for the last long period.”
• Later on the press conference, he spoke about the role of Delcy Rodriguez. Trump said she was “handpicked by Maduro and installed” before admitting there is a direct channel between her and Washington. He quoted Delcy telling Rubio that she will do whatever the US considers necessary and the she “doesn’t really have a choice” in the current circumstances. Trump’s remarks suggest his administration is willing to work with chavista actors such as Delcy “for a period of time.”
• “We’re going to work with the people that are willing to do what’s necessary.”
• On Maria Corina, Trump said the US hasn’t been in contact with her. When reporters further enquired about the opposition leader, Trump added: “I think it would be very tough on her to be the leader. She doesn’t have the support or the respect within the country, she’s a nice woman but doesn’t have the respect.”

Where did the US attack?

In Caracas, the US heavily bombed the Fuerte Tiuna military complex, home of the Department of Defense and the military’s top brass.

The Generalísimo Francisco de Miranda airbase, commonly known as La Carlota, was also targeted. La Carlota is surrounded by urban spaces and the city’s main highway. Another airport in Higuerote (Miranda state) was hit. 

The US also struck communication antennas in El Volcan, eastern Caracas, apparently in an effort to disrupt communications during the military operation.

The general headquarters of the Bolivarian Militia in Caracas were also hit, located about 500 metres away from the Cuartel de la Montaña, which serves as the mausoleum of Hugo Chávez.

The port of La Guaira was hit. Footage shows explosions in a targeted warehouse instants after being bombed, which could suggest weapons and explosives were stored there. There are reports of another attack in Carmen de Uria, east of La Guaira, and in the naval base of Mamo, close to Maiquetia airport. 

The Maduro regime also spoke about targets being hit in Aragua state, where other key military posts are located. Valencia and Puerto Cabello were not attacked. Maracaibo is at ease. The population is starting to queue for gas and food. No reports of unrest or violence in the streets. Police are protecting supermarkets to prevent looting.  Fear and confusion prevail, but most people remain at home. Public transportation in Caracas is suspended.

Where’s Maduro?

The White House reposted an image from Trump’s Truth account confirming the extraction. Speculation about the extraction began at 4 am, two hours into the attack. Donald Trump then posted on Truth Social that Nicolás Maduro had been captured alongside his wife, Cilia Flores, and that both were being “flown out” of Venezuela and carried into the Iwo Jima. Shortly after, Delcy Rodríguez released an audio message saying she did not know their whereabouts and calling on Trump to provide proof of life for Maduro and Flores. 

Where’s the chavista leadership?

Diosdado Cabello issued a video in the street, in fatigues and fully armed, surrounded by Alexander Gramcko and Douglas Rico, two paramount figures of the repression apparatus Cabello leads. His message: we know what to do, we are in charge, remain calm. 

Spanish media website The Objective reported Delcy Rodriguez is in Russia, which is now being reported by Reuters. Laura Loomer and Telesur suggest she is in Caracas. Her brother Jorge Rodriguez, president of the chavista-controlled parliament and Maduro’s top negotiator, is yet to show up or say anything. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino is in Venezuela, and was the first to brief the public on the attack by “invading forces.”

By 10 am, chavismo is still trying to communicate that they are not collapsing, by calling people to show support for the regime in the squares. There are witness reports of F16s dispatched from the Maracay airbase late in the morning, we don’t know to what end. 

2:29 p.m. update:

Maduro’s VP, Delcy Rodríguez, held a press conference with the chavista top brass present: Jorge Rodríguez (who hadn’t appeared), Tarek William Saab (Maduro’s chief prosecutor), Yvan Gil (Foreign Minister), Caryslia Rodríguez (president of the Supreme Tribunal), and Diosdado Cabello. Minister of defense Vladimi Padrino was also in attendance.

Delcy Rodríguez insists that Nicolás Maduro is still the president, so she’s not assuming the role as Trump suggested in his press conference. It seems to be a response to T2’s presser, probably to show some political control in the country.

Where’s the military?

They seemed to be surprised and no US aircraft was taken down. The apparent speed with which Maduro was extracted suggests that he was already captured when the US aircraft entered the valley of Caracas. We have no reports of the Venezuelan military repealing or engaging in combat with the US squads. We have reports of wounded military officers being treated in the military hospital in Caracas. 

What about the colectivos?

Reports from western Caracas say they took over some parts of Caracas where they are strong. The streets are empty. We must expect deployment of colectivos and especially rumors spread by the regime of colectivos imposing order and hunting for traitors.  

Where’s the opposition, what have they said?

Our sources say María Corina Machado and her team were unaware the attack was coming. We have no reports of other opposition figures being released from prison or killed.

Machado posted an optimistic statement welcoming today’s airstrikes and claiming that over Maduro’s refusal to negotiate, the “US has fulfilled its promise.” As she has done over a year and a half, she endorsed the mandate of president-elect Edmundo González Urrutia (who won the 2024 presidential vote in a landslide), calling her followers to remain vigilant and organized to bring about a democratic transition. González Urrutia reposted Machado’s message with the following caption: “Venezuelans, these are decisive hours for the great operation of our nation’s reconstruction.” 

Casualties

About 10 deaths have been reported so far, mostly among military personnel. There are no credible reports of casualties within the regime’s chain of command.