Maduro and his wife were injured during a kidnapping by the US, says minister.

247 - Venezuela's Minister of the Interior, Justice and Peace, Diosdado Cabello, stated that Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were injured during the military aggression conducted by the United States in the early hours of January 3rd, the objective of which was to kidnap them. The action caused a high number of casualties and deepened the climate of political and social instability in the country.

The statements were made by Cabello on his weekly television program. According to the minister, the injuries occurred during the military incursion. “At that moment, Cilia was wounded in the head and suffered a blow to the body, [and] her brother Nicolás was wounded in the leg. Fortunately, they are recovering, but the consequences of the treacherous attack remain: 100 people,” he said, mentioning the number of deaths associated with the action.

According to Cabello, the episode marked an unprecedented escalation in external pressure on Venezuela. After Maduro's kidnapping, US authorities reportedly informed the minister that he himself could become a target of Washington if he did not cooperate with interim president Delcy Rodríguez and contribute to maintaining internal order. 

A central figure in Chavismo and responsible for commanding the security forces, Cabello is cited by American authorities as someone capable of decisively influencing US interference in the country. Even facing accusations in US courts for conspiracy linked to narcoterrorism, he remains one of the key figures still associated with Maduro. In the context of the transition, US President Donald Trump reportedly opted to maintain channels of communication to avoid an immediate collapse of the institutional order.