Multiple explosions heard in Venezuela's Capital

A view of the city of Caracas, taken on December 31, 2025. Juan Barreto/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Juan Barreto/AFP via Getty Images

Multiple explosions and fires are being reported around Caracas. It is not immediately clear what is the cause of the blasts. Videos circulating on social media platforms and first-person accounts indicate the explosions began at around 2 am local time (1 am EST.)

The explosions come as the United States has been increasing pressure on the Venezuelan government of Nicolás Maduro, who the Trump administration accuses of leading a drug cartel dubbed Los Soles v— The Suns — Cartel. Since late August the U.S. has sent aircraft carriers and warships to the Caribbean. The U.S. military has struck dozens of small boats it says were transporting drugs to the U.S. At least 105 people have been killed in at least 35 known strikes on the small vessels.

A journalist in Caracas reports waking to two explosions that hit the La Carlota military airport in front of her home. She could see two fires on the runway that were quickly extinguished. Immediately following the explosions, she reports hearing similar detonations in other parts of the city and then planes flying low around the city for at least an hour. Relatives have sent videos — which NPR cannot verify — showing multiple explosions in different parts of the metropolitan area, including the military base near the Presidential Palace Miraflores.

There has been no immediate response from Maduro. In a pre-taped interview that aired on state T.V. on Thursday, Maduro said he was open to negotiating an agreement with the U.S. to combat drug trafficking. He again accused the U.S. of trying to remove him from power to gain access to Venezuela's vast oil reserves, among the largest in the world.