In the early hours of January 3, 2026, the United States carried out an unprecedented military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, according to multiple news outlets and official statements. The elite U.S. Army special operations unit known as Delta Force, alongside other U.S. forces, was central to the raid that unfolded in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital.
The mission, reportedly called Operation Absolute Resolve, drew on months of planning, intelligence gathering, and coordinated military pressure. It represents one of the most dramatic U.S. interventions in Latin America in decades and has reverberated through international relations, law enforcement, and geopolitical debate.
The Strategic Build-Up: Weeks Before the Raid
Officials familiar with the planning phase say the raid did not occur in isolation but was the culmination of a coordinated campaign by U.S. military and intelligence agencies. Since late 2025, the United States had significantly increased its military presence in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific, deploying assets including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and dozens of other warships.
At the same time, U.S. forces reportedly struck more than 30 vessels believed to be carrying illegal drugs and acted against smuggling infrastructure throughout the region. These moves formed a broader strategy intended to isolate Maduro’s regime and disrupt alleged criminal networks tied to his government.
Meanwhile, intelligence teams—including the CIA and other agencies—were gathering detailed information on Maduro’s movements, habits, and security protocols. Surveillance reportedly included human intelligence sources inside Venezuela and persistent tracking with drones and other reconnaissance assets.
The Operation: Delta Force and the Raid on Caracas
The raid itself was a coordinated assault that combined ground entry with air support and cyber operations. According to sources, more than 150 aircraft participated in the broader military action, including fighter jets, bombers, reconnaissance planes, and special operations aviation units.
In the pre-dawn hours, U.S. aircraft and cyber teams reportedly disabled portions of Caracas’s power grid and struck key defensive positions, creating a window of surprise and minimizing organized resistance. Helicopters carrying special operations troops, including Delta Force personnel and members of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Night Stalkers), flew low over the sea toward Venezuela’s capital.
Once on the ground, Delta Force operators and supporting units rapidly breached Maduro’s compound, located at a military base near Caracas. Intelligence teams provided real-time updates as the assault unfolded, allowing the force to isolate the area and limit collateral damage.
Despite some resistance—U.S. aircraft reportedly came under fire—Maduro and his wife were subdued within minutes and taken into custody. No American fatalities were reported, although some personnel were wounded during the operation.
Extraction and Transfer to U.S. Custody
After capturing Maduro, the special forces team moved him and Cilia Flores to a waiting helicopter. They were then transported to the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima, which was stationed offshore. From there, they were flown to the United States.
Once in U.S. jurisdiction, Maduro and his wife were processed by federal law enforcement and transported to a secure detention facility in New York. According to official statements, they face charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons-related offenses brought in the Southern District of New York.
Legal authorities allege Maduro and several associates used state resources to facilitate international drug trafficking, including into the United States, and operated criminal enterprises tied to violence and corruption.
Why Delta Force Was Tasked With the Mission
Delta Force is one of the U.S. military’s most elite and secretive special operations units. It is organized under the U.S. Army Special Operations Command and answers directly to Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). Delta Force specializes in high-risk missions that include counterterrorism, hostage rescue, and direct-action raids on high-value targets.
The unit has been involved in some of the most sensitive military operations in recent U.S. history, including the 2019 raid that killed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Given its expertise in rapid targeting and extraction, Delta Force was considered ideal for a complex mission like capturing a heavily guarded head of state.
Legal and Geopolitical Repercussions
While U.S. officials justified the operation as a law enforcement action and an extension of longstanding indictments against Maduro, legal scholars have raised serious questions about its legality under international law. Critics argue that military force against a sovereign nation without United Nations authorization or clear self-defense justification violates established norms.
Some U.S. lawmakers and international figures have condemned the raid as overreach or an “illegal act of aggression,” while others support it as a necessary step in combatting drug trafficking and oppression.
Venezuela’s government, now led by Vice President Delcy Rodríguez in Maduro’s absence, has denounced the operation as a violation of national sovereignty. Russia and other allied nations have criticized the intervention, raising tensions in global geopolitics.
Broader Implications
The success of the raid underscores the reach and capability of U.S. special operations forces in executing precise, high-stakes missions. It also represents one of the rare instances in recent history where a sitting foreign leader has been captured and extradited by American forces, evoking comparisons with past interventions such as the 1989 operation to capture Manuel Noriega in Panama.
Beyond military and legal realms, the operation has sparked debate over foreign policy, U.S. interventionism, and the future of Venezuelan governance. Whether it stabilizes Venezuela or further inflames regional tensions remains to be seen.
