Inside the U.S. Raid That Captured Nicolás Maduro in Caracas
WASHINGTON — After months of escalating military pressure, the United States executed a highly coordinated overnight operation in Caracas that culminated in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, marking one of the most audacious U.S. special operations missions in the Western Hemisphere in decades.
President Donald Trump confirmed the details Saturday during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, describing a months-long planning effort that ended with U.S. forces entering the Venezuelan capital under cover of darkness, extracting Maduro from a heavily fortified residence, and transporting him to U.S. custody to face federal charges.
A Heavily Guarded Target in the Heart of Caracas
Trump said Maduro was staying inside what he described as a “heavily fortified military fortress” in the heart of Caracas, a presidential compound protected by layers of security and designed to withstand an attack. According to Trump, Maduro nearly reached a secure safe room constructed of reinforced steel but failed to seal himself inside before U.S. forces breached the compound. In an earlier interview on Fox & Friends Weekend, Trump said American operators were prepared to cut through steel walls using industrial blowtorches if necessary.
“They were ready for anything,” Trump said, adding that Maduro was “bum-rushed so fast” that he did not manage to lock himself into the protective space.
Months of Preparation and Rehearsal
Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said U.S. forces spent months preparing for the mission, rehearsing every phase repeatedly to eliminate the risk of failure. According to Caine, planners studied Maduro’s daily movements in detail, where he stayed, what he ate, what he wore, and even personal routines, and practiced the extraction on a full-scale replica of the target building.
“We think, we develop, we train, we rehearse, we debrief, and we rehearse again,” Caine said. “Not to get it right, but to make sure we cannot get it wrong.”
By early December, Caine said, the operation was fully rehearsed and ready, pending final conditions.
Darkness, Blackouts, and Explosions
Trump said the operation relied on overwhelming technological superiority, including the ability to plunge large sections of Caracas into darkness.
“The lights of Caracas were largely turned off due to a certain expertise that we have,” Trump said. “It was dark and it was deadly.”
Residents in Caracas reported hearing at least seven explosions. Pete Hegseth described the mission as a “massive joint military and law enforcement raid” that lasted less than 30 minutes. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez later claimed civilians and members of the Venezuelan military were killed during the operation. The U.S. government has not confirmed any Venezuelan casualties.
Injuries, Incoming Fire, and a Narrow Window
Trump acknowledged that several U.S. personnel were injured during the mission but said he believed no American fatalities occurred.
“A couple of guys were hit, but they came back,” Trump said. “They’re supposed to be in pretty good shape.”
Caine confirmed that one U.S. helicopter came under fire as it approached Maduro’s compound but was able to withdraw safely. Weather conditions played a decisive role. Trump said the mission was delayed for several days while commanders waited for ideal cloud cover and visibility.
“We waited four days,” Trump said. “The weather has to be perfect. Then it opened up and we said, go.”
Caine said helicopters flew extremely low over water to enter Venezuelan airspace, shielded above by U.S. aircraft, navigating a narrow weather corridor that opened briefly late Friday night.
Operation “Absolute Resolve”
Caine identified the mission as Operation Absolute Resolve, offering rare detail on its scale and timing:
• More than 150 aircraft launched from locations across the Western Hemisphere, including F-18, F-22, and F-35 fighter jets, B-1 bombers, and drones
• Trump authorized the operation at 10:46 p.m. EST Friday
• U.S. forces reached Maduro’s compound at 1:01 a.m. EST Saturday
• Aircraft were back over open water by 3:29 a.m. EST
• Service members involved ranged in age from 20 to 49
Extraction to a U.S. Warship
Following the capture, Maduro and Flores were flown by helicopter to the USS Iwo Jima, an amphibious assault ship operating in the region. Trump later posted a photo of Maduro aboard the vessel wearing a gray sweatsuit, protective headphones, and a blindfold. From the ship, the couple was transported to New York to face federal prosecution. The Justice Department has unsealed indictments accusing Maduro and Flores of participating in a narco-terrorism conspiracy tied to large-scale cocaine trafficking into the United States.
The Raid in a Broader Campaign
The operation marked a sharp escalation in a U.S. military campaign that began in September with strikes on vessels Washington says were carrying drugs through the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. According to U.S. officials, at least 35 such strikes have occurred, killing more than 100 people.
In late December, Trump acknowledged a CIA-backed drone strike on a Venezuelan docking facility believed to be used by drug cartels, the first confirmed U.S. operation on Venezuelan soil prior to the raid.
What Comes Next
Trump said the United States will now “run” Venezuela temporarily until a new leader is selected, leaving open the possibility of continued U.S. troop presence.
“We had boots on the ground last night,” Trump said. “We’re not afraid of boots on the ground if we have to.”
While Trump emphasized the risks involved, calling the raid “very dangerous” and acknowledging it could have gone badly, the capture of Maduro represents a defining moment of his presidency and a dramatic reassertion of U.S. military power in the region. How long that control lasts and what follows the removal of Venezuela’s leader remains the next unanswered question.
