STORY: The Venezuelan government does not know the whereabouts of President Nicolas Maduro or his wife Cilia Flores, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said on Saturday (January 3) morning in an audio played on state tv.

"We demand immediate proof of life of President Nicolas Maduro and the first combatant Cilia Flores," Rodriguez said.

STORY: Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello urged citizens to remain calm on Saturday (January 3), emphasizing that the country's population was organized and ready, after U.S. airstrikes targeted the South American nation overnight.

Trump said the operation was carried out "in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement" and promised more details at an 11 a.m. (1600 GMT) press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

Maduro was captured by elite special forces troops, a U.S. official told Reuters.

Washington has not made such a direct intervention in Latin America since the invasion of Panama in 1989 to depose military leader Manuel Noriega, over similar allegations.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: UNKNOWN LOCATION (JANUARY 3, 2026) (VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT TV - Access all)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN VICE PRESIDENT, DELCY RODRIGUEZ SAYING:

"In the face of this brutal situation and in the face of this brutal attack, we have no knowledge of the whereabouts of the President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Celia Flores. We demand from the Donald Trump government, immediate proof of life for President Maduro and the First Lady."

2. WHITE FLASH

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN VICE PRESIDENT, DELCY RODRIGUEZ SAYING:

"We demand the respect to our international rights. We condemn this brutal way, savage aggression against our country that has taken the lives of military officials, who will now become martyrs of our country and that have taken the lives of innocent civilian Venezuelans in all the different attack locations, such as the capital, the Aragua State, the Miranda State and the La Guaira State."

SHOWS: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (JANUARY 3, 2026) (VENEZUELAN INTERIOR MINISTRY VIA TELEGRAM - No resale / Must on screen courtesy MIJP VENEZUELA)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN INTERIOR MINISTER, DIOSDADO CABELLO, SAYING:

“After evaluating the damages caused by the criminal and terrorist attack against our people, our patriotic ground, electric facilities, the Bolivarian revolution and even those who aren’t related to the Bolivarian revolution. It’s an attack against Venezuela, the Bolivarian republic of Venezuela.”

2. WHITE FLASH

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN INTERIOR MINISTER, DIOSDADO CABELLO, SAYING:

“From this beautiful place I ask people to stay calm. Trust in our leadership, trust in our military and political leaders during the situation we are facing. Calm, no one should fall into despair, no one should make things easier to our invading enemy.”

4. WHITE FLASH

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN INTERIOR MINISTER, DIOSDADO CABELLO, SAYING:

“Beyond any of us, we have an organized people who know what to do. We hope that the world will speak out about this attack. Hopefully, international organizations will make public their collusion with this invader attack”

6. WHITE FLASH

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN INTERIOR MINISTER, DIOSDADO CABELLO, SAYING:

“In the end, after these attacks, we will win. Long live the homeland!”