Venezuelan defense minister says country will resist foreign troops, accuses US of striking civilian areas

Pedestrians walk past the Miraflores presidential palace after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, January 3, 2026. (AP/Cristian Hernandez)
Pedestrians walk past the Miraflores presidential palace after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, January 3, 2026. (AP/Cristian Hernandez)

Venezuela will resist the presence of foreign troops, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino says in a video, as US President Donald Trump said Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro had been captured and was being removed from the country.

A US attack on the country in the early morning struck civilian areas, Padrino says, and Venezuela is compiling information about dead and injured people.

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