A series of loud explosions and the sound of jet aircraft jolted Venezuela’s capital before dawn on Saturday, sending plumes of black smoke over southern Caracas and triggering power cuts near a major military complex, according to residents and local media reports.
Videos circulating on social platforms captured multiple blasts across the city, though their precise locations and causes remained unconfirmed and the footage could not be independently verified. The Associated Press reported at least seven explosions around 2 a.m. local time, prompting frightened residents to pour into the streets.
Witnesses said smoke was seen rising from two key military sites: La Carlota air base in central Caracas and the Fuerte Tiuna garrison, a vast compound where President Nicolás Maduro is widely believed to spend significant time. Venezuela’s government did not immediately comment.
Across the border, Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro claimed on X that Venezuela was “under attack,” alleging missile strikes on Caracas and urging an emergency UN Security Council session. The United States Department of Defense had no immediate comment. In recent months Washington has intensified its regional military posture, while the Trump administration has tightened energy sanctions on Venezuela and expanded maritime interdictions tied to alleged drug trafficking—accusations Caracas has repeatedly denied.
As authorities stayed silent on Saturday morning, confusion and anxiety mounted in the capital. “The whole ground shook,” said Carmen Hidalgo, 21, who described hearing distant booms and aircraft overhead. Officials have yet to provide casualty figures or an official account of what sparked the blasts.