On Saturday, January 3, US forces carried out an intense operation in Caracas, Venezuela. During the mission, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured and flown to the US. The operation stunned people around the world by how quickly and quietly it happened, with President Trump saying, “It was a very dangerous operation, and our people did an incredible job,” according to Fox News.
How the Operation Unfolded
The mission, called Operation Absolute Resolve, was more complicated than it seemed. Planning began months ago and included CIA agents who provided specific information on Maduro’s daily habits, even down to the food he ate and the clothes he wore. Before the ground assault began, US Cyber Command and Space Command cut electricity and communications across Caracas. This blackout created the perfect opportunity for US forces to move in without alerting Venezuelan defenses.
Highly skilled pilots, also known as Night Stalkers, flew helicopters very close to the water, at altitudes of only about 100 feet, to stay hidden on radar. They reached Maduro’s location at 1:01 a.m. ET. In total, more than 150 military aircraft provided air support for the operation. The quiet and carefully planned flights helped make the mission almost invisible to the rest of the city, CNN reported.
In addition, 32 Cubans on a mission in Venezuela and numerous Venezuelan officers were killed during the US air strikes targeted at military installations and air bases in Caracas, according to BBC. There were no deaths on the American side.
A “Fortress”
When he was found, Maduro was inside a heavily guarded compound described as a fortress. The area was protected by high walls, armed guards, and several layers of security. Despite all the precautions, US forces were able to enter quietly and take control of the situation. Delta Force moved carefully and quickly through the compound.
Maduro attempted to reach a reinforced safe room but was “bum rushed so fast that he didn’t get into that [safe] space,” Trump said to NBC. Outside, air strikes hit key military locations around the city, including the Presidential Palace, La Carlota Air Base, and Fuerte Tiuna, the country’s largest army base. Amazingly, by the time Venezuelan forces realized what was happening, US troops had already completed the mission and left the scene.
President Trump later shared a photo of Maduro blindfolded and wearing a gray Nike sweatsuit aboard a US warship. This unusual picture quickly spread online, and the public started mocking Maduro through social media, according to People.
The Charges Maduro Is Facing
Nicolás Maduro has been charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation and drug trafficking conspiracy, and the possession of and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. Maduro’s wife, son, and three others were also indicted. In short, Maduro cooperated with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a terrorist organization, to traffic drugs through Venezuela and flood the US with cocaine, as per AP News.
Maduro led the Cartel of the Suns, a Venezuelan drug trafficking network that contained many other high-ranking government officials. This organization provided terrorist groups with military-grade weapons. Previously, Maduro had a $50 million bounty by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs for being the leader of the Cartel of the Suns, which was designated a Designated Global Terrorist, according to the US Department of State.
The Aftermath
Maduro and his wife pleaded not guilty in their court appearance in Manhattan on Monday, January 5, NPR reports. As for the future of Venezuela, the US will be controlling the sales of its sanctioned oil indefinitely, as stated by BBC. The US will begin to revoke sanctions and control all aspects of Venezuelan oil for the foreseeable future. Moreover, former Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as the acting president of Venezuela on Monday, according to CBS News. She has served as vice president since 2018 and held numerous other positions, such as Minister of Economy and Finance and Minister of Petroleum. She has also made progress in helping stabilize the Venezuelan economy and battling inflation.
As of now, the fates of former President Nicolás Maduro, his co-conspirators, and the country of Venezuela are yet to be determined. Maduro’s next court hearing will be on March 17, and only time will tell what effects this crucial operation will have on Venezuela, the US, and the rest of the world.
