Venezuela’s vice president makes demand as Trump reveals he has ‘captured’ leader and wife

Following comments by Donald Trump that the Venezuelan president was captured, the country's vice president has issued a demand to the US

On early Saturday morning (January 3), the US military launched strikes on Venezuela’s capital city, Caracas.

Trump eventually took to social media to confirm the strikes, dubbing the operation a success and claiming that the Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been captured by the US.

In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote: “The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country.

“This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. Details to follow. "There will be a News Conference today at 11 A.M., at Mar-a-Lago. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

This came after videos had emerged on social media showing the city being bombed in the early morning.

Trump confirmed the US' launched the strikes on the country (Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images)

Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has since said the government do not know the whereabouts of the president and has demanded the US shows ‘immediate proof of life’ for them both.

As well as this, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López has revealed how the nation will respond to this apparent escalation by the US following months of tension.

López reportedly called for a united front of resistance in the face of the ‘worst aggression’ ever against the country.

He added that the nation was following ‘Maduro’s orders’ that all armed forces will be deployed.

Speaking in Spanish in a video address, he said: "They've attacked us, but they will not subdue us.”

It is understood that Delta Force operatives were used to remove Maduro from the country, an unprecedented action against a head of state in South America.

In addition, the Venezuelan government has said it ‘rejects, repudiates and denounces before the international community the extremely serious military aggression perpetrated by the current Government of the United States of America’.

Tensions have long been brewing between the two nations, with Trump issuing warnings to the country last year following open water attacks on boats in International Waters that the US claimed were drug boats attempting to enter the US.

The US has been responding with force and killed more than 110 people in strikes in open water since it began attacking boats on September 2.