U.S. military officials have provided a detailed timeline of the operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, describing a meticulously planned mission involving over 150 aircraft and coordinated strikes across the Western Hemisphere.
Speaking at Mar-a-Lago alongside President Donald Trump, General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, outlined “Operation Absolute Resolve,” which was launched in the early hours of January 2nd after months of planning.
Key Operational Details:
Aircraft and Coordination: More than 150 aircraft, including F-22s, F-35s, B-1 bombers, and support drones, took off from 20 different land and sea bases. Helicopters flew as low as 100 feet above water to approach the Venezuelan coast undetected.
Intelligence and Cyber Support: Agencies including the CIA, NSA, and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency supported the mission, with U.S. Space Command and Cyber Command helping to create a pathway by disabling Venezuelan air defense systems.
Extraction: At 1:01 a.m. EST, U.S. forces arrived at Maduro’s compound in Caracas. The team came under fire, with one aircraft hit but remaining operational. Maduro and his wife were apprehended without U.S. casualties and were later transported to the USS Iwo Jima.
General Caine emphasized the operation's precision, noting that all U.S. aircraft returned safely. Maduro and his wife are now in U.S. custody, marking a dramatic escalation in the long-standing confrontation between Washington and Caracas.
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