BREAKING: U.S. Military Captures Venezuelan Leader Nicolás Maduro in Surprise Operation
In an unprecedented military operation early Saturday morning, U.S. armed forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and extradited them to the United States to face federal criminal charges.
The operation — code-named Operation Absolute Resolve — marked one of the most dramatic uses of U.S. force in Latin America in decades, evoking comparisons to historic actions such as the 1989 Panama invasion that ousted Manuel Noriega.
According to U.S. and military sources, strikes began in the pre-dawn hours of January 3 in Caracas, with coordinated air and ground operations targeting Venezuela’s capital and strategic military facilities. The mission reportedly involved U.S. Army Delta Force, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Marine Corps elements, and Navy support; explosions and helicopter insertions were reported around Caracas.
Maduro and his wife were located, taken into custody by U.S. special operations forces, and flown out of the country to the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima before transfer to New York.
Venezuelan officials reported dozens of deaths among military personnel and civilians; U.S. forces suffered at least two injuries during the mission.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that Maduro and Flores will face narcoterrorism and drug trafficking charges in federal court in New York, tied to a long-standing U.S. indictment dating back to 2020.
In a Truth Social and press conference, President Trump called the operation an “extraordinary military action” targeting narco-terrorism and declared that the United States would temporarily “run” Venezuela until a stable transition of power can be achieved. He cited U.S. national security interests and Venezuela’s vast oil reserves as motivating factors.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers the mission was intended to secure Maduro for prosecution, asserting that Maduro had been arrested by U.S. personnel and that no further action in Venezuela would be necessary.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez declared herself interim president under Venezuela’s constitution but later repudiated U.S. claims, insisting that Maduro remains the legitimate leader and warning Venezuelans to defend their sovereignty.
Opposition figures such as María Corina Machado celebrated the capture, calling it a historic turning point and expressing readiness to help rebuild democratic governance in Venezuela.
