US Forces Capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in “Lightning” Raid; Trump Declares “Operation Absolute Resolve” a Success
WASHINGTON/CARACAS — In a stunning overnight operation that has upended the geopolitical order of Latin America, elite United States military forces launched a targeted raid into Caracas early Saturday, capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
The operation, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, involved over 150 aircraft and marked the most significant direct US military intervention in the region since the 1989 invasion of Panama.
Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on Saturday, President Donald Trump confirmed the mission’s success, flanked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
“This was an operation to bring outlaw dictator Nicolás Maduro to justice,” President Trump told reporters. “He has been captured and flown out of the country. We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition.”
The Raid: “Speed, Precision, and Surprise”
According to General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the operation was the culmination of months of intelligence gathering and rehearsals on full-scale replicas of the target site.
The mission launched in the early hours of January 3, 2026. US forces, spearheaded by the Army’s elite Delta Force, breached the heavily fortified Fuerte Tiuna military complex in Caracas where Maduro and Flores were sleeping. General Caine described the extraction as “precise,” utilizing over 150 aircraft—including F-22s and B-1 bombers—to jam Venezuelan air defenses and provide cover for the infiltration teams.
“We arrived at Maduro’s compound at 2:01 a.m. local time,” Gen. Caine stated. “The apprehension force moved with speed… and isolated the area.”
President Trump added colorful details to the account, noting that Maduro attempted to flee to a “safe room” protected by a heavy steel door but was intercepted before he could seal it. “He was unable to get to that door,” Trump said.
Maduro and Flores were immediately transported by helicopter to the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima off the coast, before being flown to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York.
“Narco-Terrorism” Charges and Control of Oil
The legal justification for the strike rests on a 2020 Department of Justice indictment charging Maduro with leading the “Cartel of the Suns,” a state-sponsored drug trafficking organization. Upon landing in New York on Saturday afternoon, the deposed leader was taken into federal custody to face charges of narco-terrorism, which carry a minimum sentence of 20 years and a maximum of life in prison.
However, the strategic implications extend far beyond law enforcement. In his remarks, President Trump was explicit about the economic dimensions of the intervention, signaling a direct role for the US in Venezuela’s vast energy sector.
“We’re going to get the oil flowing,” Trump said, asserting that revenue would be used to reimburse the US for the operation and stabilize global markets. The administration has indicated it intends to oversee Venezuela’s administration temporarily, a move that has raised questions about the timeline for restoring local democratic governance.
Global Shockwaves and Local Tensions
The raid has triggered immediate and polarized reactions worldwide.
In Caracas, the situation remains fluid. While some celebrations were reported in opposition strongholds, supporters of the ruling socialist party (PSUV) have rallied in the streets. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, appearing on state television, condemned the “kidnapping” of the president and asserted that Maduro remains the constitutional leader.
Internationally, the strike has drawn sharp condemnation from US adversaries. Russia’s Foreign Ministry branded the operation a “barbaric act of aggression” and a violation of international law, demanding an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. China similarly criticized the move as “hegemonic overreach.”
Conversely, the US administration has framed the capture as a liberation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a long-time critic of the Maduro regime, issued a stark warning to other authoritarian leaders in the region: “If I lived in Havana… I’d be concerned at least a little bit.”
As of Sunday morning, Caracas remains under a tense calm, with US aircraft reportedly still patrolling the skies as Washington prepares to unveil its plan for Venezuela’s interim governance.
