- Venezuela accuses US of Caracas explosions.
- Multiple blasts, fires reported overnight.
- Incidents centered around Venezuelan capital.
The reason for the explosions is not immediately apparent. According to first- person reports and videos making the rounds on social media, the explosions started at around two in the morning original time( one in the morning EST).
In a post on Telegram the government reacted swiftly and sternly:
"The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela rejects, condemns, and denounces before the international community the extremely grave military aggression carried out by the current Government of the United States of America against Venezuelan territory and population, targeting civilian and military locations in the city of Caracas, the capital of the Republic, and the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira. This act constitutes a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations"
All inquiries were forwarded to the White House by the Pentagon.
The explosions coincide with mounting pressure from the United States on Nicolás Maduro's regime in Venezuela, which the Trump administration claims is in charge of a narcotics cartel known as Los Soles v. The Suns Cartel.
The United States has been sending warships and aircraft carriers to the Caribbean since late August. Numerous tiny boats that the U.S. military claims were bringing drugs into the country have been hit. At least 35 confirmed attacks on the small vessels have resulted in at least 105 fatalities.
Two explosions struck the La Carlota military airport in front of the journalist's house in Caracas. On the runway, she saw two fires that were swiftly put out. She claims to have heard similar explosions in other parts of the city just after the blasts, followed by planes hovering low over the city for at least an hour.
NPR is unable to confirm the recordings that relatives have given, which show numerous explosions in various parts of the city, including the military installation next to the Presidential Palace Miraflores.
Maduro had claimed that the United States was attempting to overthrow him in order to obtain access to Venezuela's enormous oil reserves, which are among the biggest in the world.
What evidence has Venezuela presented for US involvement?
The Venezuelan government has indicted the US of direct" military aggression" behind the January 3, 2026, explosions and fires in Caracas, but has presented no specific substantiation beyond timing and propinquity to US nonmilitary deployments.
Substantiations reported low- flying copters or drones matching US MQ- 9 Reaper biographies, per state media representing bullet fractions from previous maritime strikes. Maduro ties blasts to Trump's medicine trafficking bounties, recent US strikes killing 107 on alleged combination boats, and a$ 50 million price on him framing it as governance change escalation.
No evidence from Washington; officers note mindfulness but cite ongoing operations against Tren de Aragua and Cartel de los Soles under FTO designations, without addressing land attacks. Critics question lack of translucency on previous strikes.