Explosions rock Venezuelan capital Caracas as tensions with US escalate

A tense dawn unfolded over Caracas on Saturday as explosions rattled the Venezuelan capital, sending plumes of smoke into the sky and shaking neighbourhoods near key military installations, the Al Jazeera reported.

Witnesses reported at least seven detonations and low-flying aircraft slicing through the early-morning sky, while parts of southern Caracas, near a major military base, were plunged into darkness amid power outages.

The flare-up comes amid rising strains with the United States. In recent days, President Nicolás Maduro has struck a cautiously conciliatory tone, signalling openness to negotiations with Washington to curb drug trafficking, even as he remained silent on reports of a CIA-led strike in Venezuelan waters last week. Yet Maduro continues to cast a wary eye toward US intentions, accusing Washington of seeking to topple his government and gain control over Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.

“If they want oil, Venezuela is ready for US investment, like with Chevron,” Maduro said in an interview aired Thursday, referring to the only major American company still exporting Venezuelan crude. Asked to confirm or deny the alleged US attack on Venezuelan soil, he replied enigmatically: “This could be something we talk about in a few days.”

The latest explosions follow a series of US military actions in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, targeting vessels accused of drug smuggling. The Trump administration has acknowledged 35 such strikes since late last year, resulting in at least 115 deaths, including Venezuelan and Colombian nationals.

Caracas now stands shrouded in smoke and uncertainty, a city on edge as diplomatic overtures mingle uneasily with the rumble of distant ordnance, underscoring the fragile and volatile state of Venezuelan-US relations in the opening days of 2026.