US Launches Secret Overnight Operation to Capture Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro

For several months, United States intelligence agencies closely tracked the daily movements of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, monitoring where he stayed, what he ate, what he wore, and even details about his personal surroundings. A small intelligence team, including a source inside the Venezuelan government, gathered information that would later shape a highly secretive military plan.

In early December, the operation, known as Operation Absolute Resolve, was finalized after months of planning and rehearsals. Elite US forces reportedly trained using a full scale replica of Maduro’s Caracas safe house to perfect their entry strategies. The mission marked one of the most significant US military interventions in Latin America since the Cold War.

The plan was kept under strict secrecy. Members of the US Congress were not briefed in advance, and senior military leaders waited for the right conditions to ensure maximum surprise. Although President Donald Trump initially approved the mission days earlier, officials delayed the launch due to weather conditions and visibility concerns.

The final order to proceed was given at 10:46 pm Eastern Time on Friday, shortly before midnight in Caracas. According to General Dan Caine, the highest ranking US military officer, troops had been on standby through the Christmas and New Year period, ready to move at a moment’s notice.

Trump later revealed that he watched the operation live from his Mar a Lago residence in Florida, alongside senior advisers including the CIA Director and the Secretary of State. He described the mission as fast, forceful, and highly coordinated.

The operation unfolded over two hours and twenty minutes, involving coordinated attacks by air, land, and sea. More than 150 aircraft were deployed, including bombers, fighter jets, and surveillance planes. Loud explosions were reported across Caracas in the early hours of Saturday, with residents describing shaking windows, thick smoke, and widespread power outages.

Social media videos showed helicopters flying low over the city as explosions lit up the night sky. Witnesses told the BBC that the city was plunged into darkness, with confusion and fear spreading among residents as detonations continued.

BBC Verify later confirmed that at least five locations were targeted, including major military installations and strategic transport points such as the Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda Air Base, La Carlota airfield, and Port La Guaira. US officials said the strikes focused on air defense systems and other military targets. Trump also suggested that US forces disabled power supplies across Caracas before the assault began.

As the strikes continued, elite US special forces, including Delta Force units, moved into the city. According to military officials, they encountered resistance upon reaching Maduro’s compound, described by Trump as a heavily fortified location. One US helicopter was hit during the operation but remained operational.

Maduro reportedly attempted to flee to a secure room within the compound but was intercepted before he could escape. His wife, Cilia Flores, was also taken into custody during the raid.

While the operation was still underway, US officials began notifying members of Congress, a move that later sparked criticism from lawmakers who questioned the lack of prior authorization. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called the action reckless, despite labeling Maduro an illegitimate leader. The administration defended its decision, arguing that advance notice could have compromised the mission.

US officials confirmed that some American personnel were injured, though none were killed. Venezuelan authorities have not released casualty figures.

By around 4:20 am local time, helicopters carrying Maduro and his wife departed Venezuelan airspace. They were placed in the custody of the US Department of Justice and transported toward New York, where they are expected to face criminal charges. The US had previously offered a 50 million dollar reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest.

About an hour later, President Trump publicly announced the capture, stating that Maduro and his wife would face what he described as the full force of American justice.