In a stunning and audacious military operation, the 12-year grip of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro on power was shattered in a matter of hours by a lightning US special forces raid. Operation Absolute Resolve, launched in the early hours of January 2, 2026, saw elite commandos capture Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, delivering a humiliating end to his regime.
The Blueprint: Months of Covert Planning
For months, the Trump administration meticulously planned the mission under a veil of absolute secrecy. Crucially, the so-called "gang of eight" congressional leaders were not notified in advance, a move that has since sparked controversy over the bypassing of legislative approval. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly briefed Congress that any action in Venezuela was focused on drug trafficking, not explicitly on regime change.
Preparation was exhaustive. US special forces constructed a life-sized replica of Maduro's fortified Caracas compound, allowing Delta Force operatives to memorise every corridor and room. Intelligence, including from a spy within the Venezuelan government, provided intimate details of the 63-year-old leader's daily routines and the layout of his safe house.
A "Dark and Deadly" Assault on Caracas
After a brief delay for optimal weather, President Donald Trump gave final approval just before midnight on January 2. What followed was a coordinated blitzkrieg. The US first cut power to the capital, a move Trump dubbed "dark and deadly," plunging the city into confusion.
This was followed by a devastating aerial barrage. Some 150 military aircraft, including F-35 stealth fighters and F-22 Raptors launching from 20 bases and Navy vessels, obliterated Venezuela's air defences within minutes. Officials estimate around 40 people were killed in the strikes on Caracas, which targeted sites like the Fuerte Tiuna military complex and La Guaira airport.
The Daring Raid and Humiliating Capture
With the path cleared, MH-60 Black Hawk and MH-47 Chinook helicopters, carrying Delta Force and FBI operatives, navigated through mountainous terrain using night vision. They touched down at Maduro's compound just after 2am.
Inside, they were met by Maduro's elite Cuban Avispas Negras bodyguards. The US commandos, armed with HK416 assault rifles capable of firing 800 rounds per minute, swiftly neutralised the resistance without suffering a single casualty. They stormed the dictator's bedroom, finding Maduro and his wife attempting to flee to a panic room. Intercepted before they could reach the steel-reinforced space, the pair surrendered immediately.
By 4:29am, the captives were aboard a Chinook helicopter, en route to the USS Iwo Jima in the Caribbean. Defining images were later released showing a shackled and blindfolded Maduro. He was subsequently transported to Guantánamo Bay, then to New York, where he and his wife were held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn to face US justice.
Global Fallout and a New Chapter for Venezuela
While praised for its tactical efficiency, the operation has drawn swift condemnation from world leaders for violating international law and lacking congressional authorisation. President Trump, however, was quick to gloat over the mission's success and immediately turned attention to Venezuela's vast oil reserves, stating the US would be "very strongly involved" in the industry and would temporarily be "running" the country.
Operation Absolute Resolve, concluded in just four-and-a-half hours, marks one of the most dramatic regime changes orchestrated by the US since the Cold War, leaving Venezuela's future and the precedent of such unilateral action fiercely debated on the global stage.
