Death toll from US operation in Venezuela hits 80: Report

Maikel Linares, nephew of Carlos Bracho, salvages belongings from the rubble after a U.S. airstrike destroyed a TV and telephone tower that collapsed onto his home, killing a neighbor and injuring her daughter in the same attack, according to resident Carlos Bracho, in El Hatillo, on the outskirts of Caracas, Venezuela. Jan. 4, 2026. (Reuters Photo)

by anadolu agency

Jan 04, 2026 11:50 pm

The death toll from Saturday’s U.S. military operation in Venezuela has climbed to 80, according to a report by the New York Times on Sunday.

Citing a senior Venezuelan official, the Times said the number could rise further.

Earlier, Venezuela's Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said a large part of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's security team had been killed during the U.S. operation, without giving exact numbers.

President Donald Trump said U.S. military action on Venezuela resulted in the capture of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, also pledging to assert American control over the country for the time being, with U.S. troops if necessary.

The pair landed in New York late Saturday and are being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. They face U.S. federal charges tied to drug trafficking and alleged cooperation with gangs designated as terrorist organizations.

Maduro has denied the accusations, and officials in Venezuela's capital Caracas have called for the couple's release.