Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were apprehended by US forces in Caracas on the morning of January 3, 2026. The operation, named "Operation Absolute Resolve," involved a significant deployment of US military assets and followed months of intelligence gathering. Maduro was subsequently transported to the United States to face federal charges related to drug trafficking and narco-terrorism. The action has drawn varied international reactions and criticism regarding its legality and precedent.
The Apprehension
President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured in Caracas during the early hours of Saturday, January 3, 2026. The apprehension took place at their residence within the Fuerte Tiuna military installation, Venezuela's largest military complex. US special forces troops, including elite Delta Force units, reached Maduro's location at approximately 02:01 local time, encountering resistance. Maduro was reportedly captured as he attempted to secure himself in a steel safe room within the compound. Following their apprehension, Maduro and Flores were transported to the USS Iwo Jima amphibious assault ship off Venezuela's coast, then flown to the United States and placed in a New York detention center.
Operation Details
"Operation Absolute Resolve" commenced at 22:46 EDT on a Friday, after final authorization from President Donald Trump. Initial authorization had been deferred days earlier due to weather conditions and cloud cover, with a prior scheduling attempt for Christmas Day also delayed.
The two-hour and twenty-minute operation involved air, land, and sea assets. Thousands of US troops, an aircraft carrier, and multiple warships had been deployed to the region in preceding months. Over 150 military aircraft, including bombers, F-35 fighter jets, reconnaissance planes, drones, and helicopters, were deployed during the night of the operation, taking off from land and sea. Helicopters carrying the "extraction force" flew at low altitudes, including 33 meters above the ocean surface. US satellite and cyber capabilities reportedly blocked Venezuelan radars, and US Cyber Command and Space Command were credited for their roles in facilitating the operation.
Loud explosions were reported in Caracas around 02:00 local time, with visible plumes of smoke observed, particularly from La Carlota airport and Port La Guaira. Strikes were confirmed at five locations, including Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda Air Base and La Carlota airfield. US officials stated some strikes targeted air defense systems and other military infrastructure. Satellite imagery dated January 3, 2026, documented significant damage to buildings and military equipment at Fuerte Tiuna following the strikes.
During the operation, US forces encountered resistance. One American helicopter sustained damage but remained operational. No US military deaths were reported, though some American personnel sustained injuries. The Cuban government reported that 32 of its nationals, serving as bodyguards to Maduro, were killed by US forces.
Intelligence Gathering and Planning
The operation followed months of intelligence gathering and strategic preparation. US intelligence agencies had been monitoring President Maduro's activities, residences, and routines since August. A specialized team, reportedly including an individual within the Venezuelan government and undercover CIA officers, gathered information on his whereabouts. Planning for the mission involved creating a full-size replica of Maduro's fortified residence in Caracas for rehearsal purposes. This human intelligence, combined with technical intelligence like mapping and satellite imagery, formed the basis for the operation.
Preceding Context and Tensions
The apprehension occurred amid escalating tensions between the United States and Venezuela. The Trump administration had increased US military presence in the Caribbean, deploying approximately 15,000 personnel and the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier. Since early September, the US had conducted strikes on vessels identified as involved in drug smuggling in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean. President Trump had also ordered measures described as a "quasi-blockade" targeting sanctioned oil tankers.
The US government does not recognize Nicolas Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, as Venezuela's legitimate president. The Trump administration had accused Maduro's government of drug-trafficking and narco-terrorism, and in November 2025, designated the "Cartel de los Soles," which Maduro allegedly heads, as a foreign terrorist organization. Maduro and his government have consistently denied these claims. The reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest had been increased to $50 million in August 2025.
Legal Proceedings
President Maduro and Cilia Flores are scheduled to face charges in New York federal court. US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a superseding indictment against Maduro, expanding upon a narcotics-trafficking complaint filed in 2020. The charges include "narco-terrorism conspiracy," "cocaine importation conspiracy," and weapons charges. The indictment alleges that Maduro, his wife, and other senior Venezuelan officials collaborated with international drug trafficking organizations over two decades to transport illicit drugs into the United States. The legal proceedings are anticipated to address whether a foreign head of state can be prosecuted in the US.
Reactions
- United States: Secretary of State Marco Rubio began notifying lawmakers as the operation unfolded. Some US lawmakers, including Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Ruben Gallego, criticized the lack of prior congressional authorization. Rubio and Trump stated that briefing Congress earlier would have risked the mission's security due to concerns about information leaks. Republican Senators Rick Scott and Tom Cotton expressed support for the actions. Senator Mike Lee confirmed with Rubio that the "kinetic action" was intended to protect personnel executing a warrant.
- International Community: Several international entities condemned the operation. Brazilian President Lula da Silva and a spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the capture as setting "a dangerous precedent." Russia condemned the action as "an act of armed aggression against Venezuela." Colombian President Gustavo Petro posted a message stating, "Alert the world: Venezuela has been attacked!" In contrast, Argentinian President Javier Milei expressed praise for the move.
- Venezuelan Government: The Venezuelan government issued a statement condemning the action as "grave military aggression" and declared a "state of External Disturbance" across the national territory. Iria Puyosa, a senior research fellow, commented that Maduro's administration did not mount effective defensive military actions and its communication apparatus was disrupted during the initial 12 hours after the US operation. Prior to the capture, President Maduro had called for "serious talks" with the United States and urged President Trump to cease "illegal warmongering."
Related US Operations
Separately, a classified CIA drone strike occurred the week prior to Maduro's apprehension, targeting a docking area in Venezuela believed to have been utilized by Venezuelan drug cartels. This marked the first known direct US operation on Venezuelan territory since the commencement of US strikes in September. President Trump confirmed targeting a "dock area where they load the boats up with drugs" but declined to comment on the agency responsible.