Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said on Saturday that the whereabouts of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, remain unknown following US military strikes carried out across multiple regions of the country in the early hours of the morning.

Speaking after reports of explosions in Caracas and nearby states including Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, Rodríguez demanded proof of life from the United States government. According to Venezuelan daily El Nacional, the vice president made the remarks during a telephone interview with state broadcaster Venezolana de Televisión.

Rodríguez called on Venezuelans to mobilise in what she described as a “civic-military fusion” to defend the nation amid what Caracas has termed foreign aggression. Her statement comes amid widespread uncertainty following claims by US President Donald Trump that Maduro and his wife had been captured and removed from the country.

Earlier, Trump announced on his social media platform Truth Social that the United States had conducted a “large-scale strike” against Venezuela and that Maduro and Flores had been “captured and flown out of the country.” He said the operation was carried out in coordination with US law enforcement agencies and that additional details would be provided at a news conference later in the day at his Mar-a-Lago residence.

US media reports, citing administration sources, said Maduro was detained by an elite unit of the US Army’s Delta Force. According to El Nacional, the nighttime operation reportedly involved a significant deployment of Chinook helicopters and other special forces assets, based on information cited from Fox News sources.

Several loud explosions were heard across Caracas in the early hours of Saturday, heightening fears of escalating military action and political instability. The Venezuelan government has not officially confirmed Maduro’s status, further fuelling confusion and concern both domestically and internationally.

El Nacional also reported that US administration sources indicated Trump authorised the military action days earlier, following months of increased US military presence off Venezuela’s coast. The report said the decision came after repeated calls from Washington for Maduro to step down amid allegations of narco-terrorism, which the Venezuelan leader has consistently denied.

As conflicting claims continue to emerge, international attention remains focused on clarifying the fate of Venezuela’s leadership and assessing the broader consequences of the US military operation. Calls for transparency and international mediation are expected to intensify as the situation develops.