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US President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social account that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been taken into custody by US forces and deported from Venezuela. Trump’s post triggered a wave of reactions across social media platforms, where numerous false and misleading claims have circulated about the circumstances of the arrest and the details of the military action. This article examines and fact-checks several of the most widely shared posts to separate verified information from misinformation.
Claim 1: Social Media Posts :
A video circulating on social media claims to show US military forces storming the Venezuelan presidential palace and taking President Nicolás Maduro into custody.
Fact Check :
To verify the authenticity of this video and determine whether it actually depicts the arrest of the Venezuelan President by US forces, a reverse image search was conducted on the footage. The results revealed that the video was published on the official FOX News Facebook page on 11 June 2025. The original post carried the caption stating that US Special Forces had landed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, ahead of a speech by US President Donald Trump to mark the anniversary of a military coup.
Further verification showed that the footage was also uploaded to the official White House YouTube channel on 12 June 2025.
Based on these findings, it is confirmed that the video depicts a US military exercise conducted during President Trump’s visit to Fort Bragg in June last year, and not an arrest operation involving the Venezuelan president. Accordingly, the claim that the video shows US forces detaining President Maduro is false.
Claim 2: Social Media Posts :
Another short video has been shared on social media with captions such as “Venezuelan people after the arrest of President Maduro” and “People take to the streets following Maduro’s arrest.”
Facebook | Archived Link | Facebook
Fact Check :
The footage shows people tearing down posters bearing the image of President Maduro. To determine whether this video was recorded following the arrest, the footage was analysed using a reverse image search. The results show that the video was first circulated online in July 2024, well before the recent claims began to spread.
Further examination found a video clip on X, dated 30 July 2024, which shared the same video, stating that it showed a banner of President Maduro being torn down at Base Aragua in protest against alleged fraud on 28 July.
President Nicolás Maduro was declared the winner of the Venezuelan presidential election held on 28 July 2024, after which protests were reported in several areas, including the capital. According to reports published by international media, including the BBC on 30 July 2024, security forces were deployed to prevent protesters from approaching the presidential palace. The reports also noted that protesters expressed opposition by removing and destroying posters bearing President Maduro’s image.
Claim 3: (Social Media Posts) :
Several social media accounts circulated a video claiming that “the people of Venezuela are rising to defend their homeland and their president against the US invader.”
Another post described the footage as “a massive public protest in Caracas against an imperialist invasion ” as below.
Fact Check :
We verified whether the demonstrations shown in these clips were recent protests in Venezuela following the arrest of the country’s president by the United States. Using reverse image tools, we traced the footage to a TikTok upload, dated November 15, 2025.
The accompanying caption identified the scene as a youth march with President Nicolás Maduro. Maduro is also visible in one segment of the clip.
A closer review revealed a banner displaying the words “¡LA ZUVENTUD!”. Further checks confirmed that the video was from a rally that was held in Venezuela by the supporters of the government on November 13, 2025. Additional footage of the same event is available here and here.
However, public reactions within Venezuela to the arrest are not uniform. While some groups have objected to alleged US interference, which harms their sovereignty, others have welcomed the arrest and expressed satisfaction.
Claim 4: Social Media Posts:
Another social media post claimed that “Maduro’s wife appeared in a New York court with visible signs of bruising and beatings. According to her lawyer, she suffered severe assault and a broken rib.” Along with that, even a post mentioning that “What more can be expected of a child-abusing maniac?” was also circulating on social media.
Fact Check :
When examining videos and photos taken by US forces of Maduro and his wife, Cillia Flores, there are clear differences in Flores’ hair colour, as compared to the above viral image.
In addition, several features in the image, including skin texture and other visual distortions, appeared artificial. We subjected the photograph to AI-image detection tools, which indicated a high likelihood of the image being produced using artificial intelligence.
Also, no verified photographs of Maduro or Flores appearing in court have been released to the media to date.
International media have reported that Flores sustained “significant injuries” and that her lawyer, Mark Donnelly, requested a medical examination to assess her condition. Reports also noted bandages on her forehead and the right side of her face near her eye. The viral image, however, depicts injuries on the left side of the face, further indicating that the circulated photo is not authentic. FOX | AP
Also Read: Viral Image of Maduro’s Arrest Is AI-Generated, Capture Is Real
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro Arrested
Nicholas Maduro and his wife were taken into custody by US forces and taken to the United States. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who is now serving as interim president, has continued to issue statements online. Rodríguez said in a social media post that she is prepared to work with the United States in a long-term partnership. Her remarks came after Trump warned that Washington is willing to cooperate with Rodríguez, but that Venezuela would face “serious consequences” if “wrong decisions” were taken.
Maduro, who was initially held at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, New York, was later brought before a federal court in Manhattan. Appearing in court, he denied all charges. Maduro told the court that he had been “kidnapped” from his home on the 3rd of the month and reiterated that he was innocent. Foreign media reported that Maduro stated, “I am a good man. I have done nothing wrong.” He rejected all allegations, including charges related to drug terrorism and arms trafficking.
Maduro’s wife, Flores, also appeared in court and likewise pleaded not guilty to the charges against her. The hearing, which lasted roughly 40 minutes, concluded with proceedings adjourned until March 17.
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Title:Misleading content spreads online following the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Fact Check By: Factcrescendo TeamResult: Misleading
