PDVSA Confirms Direct U.S. Strikes on La Guaira; Maduro's Status in Doubt as Conflict Widens

CARACAS — Executives from Venezuela’s state-run oil company, PDVSA, confirmed on Saturday that the port of La Guaira has sustained "severe damage" from direct U.S. military strikes. This confirmation validates reports of kinetic action on Venezuelan soil, marking a decisive escalation in "Operation Southern Spear" and moving the conflict well beyond maritime interdiction.

The bombardment of La Guaira, Venezuela's primary seaport and a critical economic lifeline, represents an undeniable shift in the U.S. operational posture. While U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) had spent late December focusing on a "naval quarantine" to seize tankers, the destruction of port infrastructure signals a transition to active warfare on foreign soil. According to PDVSA sources, the coordinated offensive also targeted the La Carlota airbase and the Fuerte Tiuna military complex in Caracas.

This expansion to land-based targets follows a Dec. 29 drone strike on a docking facility linked to the Tren de Aragua criminal organization. However, the scale of the damage at La Guaira suggests a broader strategic objective to dismantle the Maduro government's logistical capabilities rather than a limited counter-narcotics raid.

The strikes coincide with a chaotic information environment regarding the status of President Nicolás Maduro. Early Jan. 3, President Donald Trump stated via Truth Social that the operation was successful and claimed Maduro had been "captured" and removed from the country. This assertion remains unverified.

In response, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López have declared a state of emergency. While accusing the U.S. of violating the UN Charter, their statement notably demanded "proof of life" for the President—an admission that his whereabouts are currently unknown to key members of his own cabinet.

As the administration presses the offensive, the transition from interdiction to direct bombardment is likely to force an immediate debate in Washington regarding the War Powers Resolution.