In a meticulously orchestrated covert operation dubbed ‘Absolute Resolve,’ United States forces successfully captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in a daring predawn raid on Caracas. The mission, approved personally by President Donald Trump from his Mar-a-Lago estate, culminated months of strategic planning involving elite military units and intelligence assets.
The operation’s foundation was laid through extensive CIA groundwork beginning in August, with agents establishing surveillance patterns and placing an asset within Maduro’s inner circle to monitor his movements. Simultaneously, elite Delta Force troops constructed an exact replica of Maduro’s fortified residence to conduct precision rehearsals for the assault.
Execution began with coordinated airstrikes targeting Venezuelan air defense systems around Caracas, involving over 150 aircraft launched from 20 bases across the Western Hemisphere. The aerial assault included F-35 and F-22 jets, B-1 bombers, and specialized electronic warfare aircraft that had been quietly deployed to the region under the guise of anti-drug operations.
As air operations neutralized defenses, specially equipped Special Forces teams penetrated Maduro’s compound despite coming under direct fire. Using specialized equipment including blowtorches to breach reinforced steel doors, the teams secured the residence within minutes. Maduro attempted to reach a secure room but was apprehended before he could seal himself inside.
The captured leader was transported via helicopter to the USS Iwo Jima amphibious assault ship, with the operation concluding successfully despite engagement in ‘multiple self-defense engagements’ during extraction. President Trump announced the mission’s success on his Truth Social platform, later sharing an image of the blindfolded, handcuffed Maduro aboard the US vessel.
The operation represents one of the most complex US military actions in recent memory, involving coordination between the Pentagon, CIA, State Department, and White House over several months of preparation.