Venezuela's Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez announced on 4/1 that most members of president Nicolas Maduro's guard, along with many soldiers and innocent civilians, were brutally killed in a US-led operation. He did not provide specific numbers.

Minister Lopez also confirmed his support for Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to assume the role of interim president. He added that Venezuela's armed forces have been deployed nationwide to protect the country's sovereignty.

He further warned that the US arrest of president Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, would pose a serious threat to global geopolitical stability. "This truly threatens world order," he stated, urging the US administration to release them immediately.

President Maduro (left) and Minister Lopez at Fort Tiuna base in the capital Caracas in 11/2025. Photo: *Reuters*

The US military launched an operation dubbed "Absolute Resolve" in the early hours of 3/1. The mission involved approximately 150 aircraft, deployed from 20 bases, conducting airstrikes across Venezuela. These strikes paved the way for helicopter squadrons to enter the capital Caracas, transporting US special forces and law enforcement personnel tasked with executing an arrest warrant for Maduro.

The Venezuelan government has not yet released figures for casualties or material damage following the assault. However, an unnamed senior Venezuelan official informed The New York Times that at least 40 people, comprising both military personnel and civilians, died during the US operation.

The airstrikes struck a three-story apartment building in Catia La Mar, a low-income residential area situated along the coast west of Caracas airport. This resulted in one fatality and one severe injury. Venezuelan government investigators arrived at the affected site on the afternoon of 3/1 to gather witness testimonies and collect shrapnel.

Vu Hoang (According to CNN, AFP, Reuters)