Johannesburg – Images of President Nicolás Maduro being led away by United States DEA personnel have surfaced on the internet just over an hour after Donald Trump announced that he had captured the Venezuelan leader.
Earlier on Saturday, 3 January 2026, the U.S. President posted on Truth Social that America had carried out a “large-scale strike” against Venezuela and captured Maduro and his wife.
Trump said Maduro and his wife were “captured and flown out of the country” following the operation.
As a precaution, the U.S. Federal Aviation Authority banned U.S. commercial flights in Venezuelan airspace, citing “ongoing military activity” ahead of explosions in Caracas.
Video from the port city of La Guaira shows the aftermath of explosions that took place across Venezuelan early Saturday morning.
Trump’s revelation that the Venezuelan leader had been captured came after Maduro declared a state of emergency and accused the U.S. of striking the country.
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s special envoy met with Maduro in Caracas, shortly before U.S. strikes.
The Bulrushes has not been able to independently verify the authenticity of the images showing Maduro being led away by U.S. DEA officials.
As the political crisis heightened, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez stated the whereabouts of President Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were unknown.
Rodríguez demanded “proof of life” for the couple.
