Maduro issued statement as US military attacks in Venezuela began: report

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro reportedly made a statement on television and radio early Saturday as the U.S. attacks on his country unfolded, describing them as an “attack against Venezuela's sovereignty.”

The comments came before President Donald Trump announced that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were “captured and expelled from the country” following a “large-scale attack” carried out by the US military. Attorney General Pam Bondi later said Maduro and Flores were indicted on charges including narcoterrorism conspiracy.

In comments broadcast on state television and radio, Maduro alleged that U.S. forces attacked civilian and military sites in Venezuela's capital, Caracas, as well as the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, according to The Miami Herald.

“This is an attack against the sovereignty of Venezuela,” Maduro reportedly said while standing alongside military and government officials. “It is an attempt to impose a colonial war and force political change through violence.”

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Maduro also described the US actions as a “serious military aggression” and a violation of the United Nations Charter, adding that it threatened peace in Latin America and the Caribbean, The Miami Herald reported.

The United States has been carrying out a military campaign against suspected drug trafficking ships in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific in recent months.

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Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro addresses his supporters during a rally commemorating the anniversary of the 19th century Battle of Santa Inés in Caracas, Venezuela, on December 10, 2025. (Pedro Rances Mattey/Anadolu via Getty Images))

Maduro's government portrayed Saturday's U.S. strikes as part of a broader U.S. effort to seize Venezuela's oil and mineral reserves, according to The Miami Herald.

The newspaper reported that state television broadcast images of Venezuelan soldiers deploying to strategic infrastructure and officials holding emergency meetings.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro addresses members of the armed forces, the Bolivarian Militia, police and civilians during a demonstration against a possible escalation of US actions towards the country, at the Fuerte Tiuna military base in Caracas, Venezuela, on November 25, 2025. (Leonardo Fernández Viloria/Reuters)

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As part of Maduro's response, he also signed a decree declaring a state of “external disturbance” across the country, giving his government broad powers during emergencies, including mobilizing security forces and limiting certain civil liberties, The Miami Herald added.