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Venezuela’s defense minister says a U.S.-led operation to detain President Nicolás Maduro left significant casualties among the presidential guard and nearby civilians — a development that heightens regional security tensions and reopens debates over international law.

This was reported by the Infohub.kz news agency.

What officials are saying

Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López delivered a televised address on the state broadcaster VTV on Sunday، January 4، stating that the incident occurred a day earlier، on Saturday، January 3، according to RIA Novosti.

An unnamed senior government official told reporters that at least 40 people — both military personnel and civilians — may have been killed. That figure has not been independently verified.

How the raid unfolded

Media outlets citing U.S. officials reported that more than 150 aircraft were deployed to suppress Venezuela’s air defenses. Around 2:00 a.m. local time، special operations forces arrived by helicopter at Maduro’s residence and launched the assault، those reports said.

Where is Maduro now؟

Reports circulating on January 4 indicated that Maduro and his wife، Cilia Flores، were detained and transferred to a temporary holding facility in Brooklyn، New York. The White House framed the action in line with the principles of the Monroe Doctrine، President Donald Trump said.

International reaction

The United Nations Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting on Monday، January 5، to discuss the situation in Venezuela، according to diplomats.

What remains unclear

Several key details — including the full casualty count، the precise legal basis for the operation، and the condition of those detained — could not be independently confirmed at the time of publication. Verification is ongoing.