How U.S. Captured Nicolas Maduro

President Donald Trump announced early Saturday that U.S. forces had successfully captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in a carefully planned operation. The mission, dubbed Operation Absolute Resolve, involved months of preparation, including CIA surveillance and detailed rehearsals by elite units such as Delta Force.

Officials said a small CIA team had been on the ground since August, providing insight into Maduro’s daily routine. Intelligence assets close to the Venezuelan leader helped pinpoint his location, allowing Special Forces to act with precision. Trump approved the mission four days before its execution, with the final go-ahead given Friday night after military advisers recommended waiting for clearer weather.

The Pentagon coordinated a major military buildup in the Caribbean, deploying an aircraft carrier, 11 warships and over a dozen F-35 jets, alongside more than 15,000 personnel. Airstrikes targeted Venezuelan military sites, including air defence positions near Caracas, while Special Forces entered Maduro’s heavily fortified safe house around 1 a.m. EST Saturday.

Trump described the operation as swift and overwhelming, with U.S. troops breaching steel doors and securing the president and his wife without fatalities among American forces. Videos posted on social media showed helicopters flying low over Caracas as the mission unfolded.

Once captured, Maduro and his wife were flown to a U.S. Navy ship. Trump shared a photograph of the blindfolded and handcuffed Venezuelan leader aboard the USS Iwo Jima.

According to officials, key aides including Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, Stephen Miller and CIA Director John Ratcliffe were closely involved, monitoring the operation in real time alongside Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Lawmakers were notified only after the operation began.