{"id":4464,"date":"2026-01-04T07:26:38","date_gmt":"2026-01-04T07:26:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jubaglobal.com\/?p=4464"},"modified":"2026-01-04T07:26:39","modified_gmt":"2026-01-04T07:26:39","slug":"daring-raid-ends-maduro-era-u-s-captures-venezuelan-president-in-operation-absolute-resolve","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/daring-raid-ends-maduro-era-u-s-captures-venezuelan-president-in-operation-absolute-resolve\/","title":{"rendered":"Daring Raid Ends Maduro Era: U.S. Captures Venezuelan President in \u201cOperation Absolute Resolve\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n


By Juba Global News Network | JubaGlobal.com<\/strong>
January 4, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In a stunning and unprecedented military operation that has reshaped the geopolitical landscape of Latin America, U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in the early hours of January 3, 2026. Dubbed \u201cOperation Absolute Resolve,\u201d the raid involved elite special operations troops, precision airstrikes, and months of meticulous intelligence gathering, culminating in the swift extraction of the longtime leader from his fortified compound in Caracas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Donald Trump announced the success of the mission via his Truth Social platform at approximately 4:21 a.m. EST, stating that Maduro and Flores had been \u201ccaptured and flown out of the Country.\u201d Hours later, Trump posted a photograph of a blindfolded and handcuffed Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima, an amphibious assault ship in the Caribbean, captioning it simply: \u201cNicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima.\u201d By evening, Maduro had arrived in New York, where he was processed and transferred to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, awaiting arraignment on federal charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation, and weapons offenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The operation marks the most direct U.S. intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama, drawing comparisons to historical regime-change efforts while igniting fierce debate over its legality, implications for international norms, and Venezuela\u2019s vast oil reserves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Raid: A Masterclass in Special Operations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Details emerged rapidly from U.S. officials, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, who briefed reporters alongside Trump at Mar-a-Lago. The mission began around 2:00 a.m. local time in Caracas, with U.S. forces launching airstrikes on multiple northern Venezuelan sites to suppress air defenses and create a clear path for helicopters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over 150 military aircraft were involved, including stealth drones for surveillance and MH-60M Black Hawks from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. The core assault was executed by Army Delta Force operators, supported by FBI Hostage Rescue Team elements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intelligence was key: A clandestine CIA team, aided by a high-level source within Maduro\u2019s inner circle, had monitored his movements since August 2025. They mapped his \u201cpattern of life\u201d\u2014sleeping habits, meals, even pets\u2014and shared this with planners. Elite troops even built a full-scale replica of Maduro\u2019s safe house at Fuerte Tiuna, Caracas\u2019 sprawling military complex, for rehearsals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As forces breached the compound using blowtorches on reinforced doors, Maduro reportedly attempted to flee to a steel-enforced safe room but was quickly overwhelmed. Venezuelan guards fired on the intruders, damaging one helicopter (which remained flyable), but U.S. troops returned \u201coverwhelming force,\u201d neutralizing resistance in seconds. Maduro and Flores surrendered without further incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By 3:29 a.m. EST, helicopters were over international waters, heading to the USS Iwo Jima. No U.S. personnel were killed, though a handful sustained minor injuries from bullets and shrapnel. Venezuelan casualties remain unconfirmed, but satellite imagery shows significant damage to military sites, including destroyed vehicles at La Carlota air base and fires at Fuerte Tiuna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump, who monitored the operation live from Mar-a-Lago with aides including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, gave final approval at 10:46 p.m. EST on January 2. He described the raid as \u201can amazing job\u201d and praised the troops for their \u201cspeed\u201d and \u201cviolence of action.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charges and Legal Ramifications<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maduro faces a superseding indictment unsealed in the Southern District of New York, building on 2020 charges from Trump\u2019s first term. Prosecutors allege he led the \u201cCartel de los Soles,\u201d a narco-terrorist network collaborating with Colombian FARC guerrillas to flood the U.S. with cocaine, using proceeds to fund his regime. Flores and other officials are also implicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arraignment is expected Monday in Manhattan federal court. The U.S. has long offered rewards\u2014up to $50 million\u2014for Maduro\u2019s capture, framing him as a \u201cnarco-state\u201d leader responsible for Venezuela\u2019s economic collapse, mass emigration, and human rights abuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Critics, including some Democrats and international lawyers, question the operation\u2019s legality under international law, citing violations of sovereignty without UN authorization. Others draw parallels to the 1989 capture of Manuel Noriega in Panama.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump\u2019s Vision: Temporary U.S. Oversight and Oil Revival<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a Mar-a-Lago press conference, Trump declared: \u201cWe are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.\u201d He emphasized tapping Venezuela\u2019s massive oil reserves\u2014the world\u2019s largest\u2014to \u201cget the oil flowing\u201d and benefit the Venezuelan people, while inviting U.S. companies to invest billions in infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defense Secretary Hegseth called it the \u201cmost successful special operations raid of all time,\u201d while Rubio hinted at coordination with interim figures. Trump claimed contact with Vice President Delcy Rodr\u00edguez, suggesting she might cooperate, though she later condemned the action as \u201cbrutal aggression\u201d on state TV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venezuela\u2019s Supreme Court, loyal to Maduro, named Rodr\u00edguez interim leader to ensure \u201ccontinuity.\u201d Streets in Caracas remained eerily quiet post-raid, with mixed reactions: some residents expressed relief at Maduro\u2019s removal amid years of hyperinflation and shortages, others fear chaos or prolonged U.S. involvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Global Reactions: Shock, Division, and Condemnation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The world reeled. Allies like Russia, China, Cuba, and Iran decried it as \u201cimperialist aggression\u201d and a dangerous precedent. Brazil\u2019s President Lula da Silva called it \u201cextremely dangerous\u201d for international norms. Even U.S. partners like Britain and France expressed shock, with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer seeking clarification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Latin American nations were divided: Some quietly welcomed the end of Maduro\u2019s rule, blamed for regional migration crises, while others evoked memories of past U.S. interventions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Miami\u2019s Venezuelan exile community, celebrations erupted. Opposition leader Mar\u00eda Corina Machado, a 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner, called for \u201cpopular sovereignty\u201d and the installation of Edmundo Gonz\u00e1lez as legitimate president.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Next for Venezuela?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Uncertainty looms. With Maduro detained, power struggles may emerge among chavistas, military factions, and opposition. Trump insists no broader invasion is planned, but U.S. forces remain positioned in the Caribbean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oil markets reacted mildly, with analysts eyeing potential production surges under stabilized governance. Yet risks of insurgency, humanitarian fallout, or proxy conflicts persist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This bold stroke ends Maduro\u2019s 13-year rule, defined by authoritarian consolidation and economic ruin. Whether it heralds stability or further turmoil remains to be seen\u2014but January 3, 2026, will be etched as a pivotal moment in hemispheric history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Juba Global News Network continues monitoring developments from underrepresented perspectives in Africa, Latin America, and beyond. For updates, visit JubaGlobal.com.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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