In a dramatic and unprecedented military operation, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has been captured by the United States Army's most secretive special forces unit. The mission, carried out in the dead of night, represents a significant escalation in international affairs.
Operation Details: A Covert Mission in Caracas
According to reports from CBS News, the ultra-elite 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta, commonly known as Delta Force, executed the high-risk capture. The raid took place in the early hours of Saturday morning at President Maduro's heavily-secured compound.
The operation culminated with Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, being snatched by helicopter from the Venezuelan capital. Intelligence that enabled the precise strike was provided by CIA operatives who had been monitoring the couple's whereabouts. The final order to proceed was given by President Donald Trump two days prior to the raid.
Aftermath and Official Response
Following the capture, Nicolas Maduro is now set to face trial in the United States on serious charges of drugs and weapons trafficking. The US administration has scheduled a press conference for Saturday morning at President Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, where further details are expected to be revealed.
The sudden disappearance of the Venezuelan leader has triggered alarm among his inner circle. Maduro's top lieutenants have publicly demanded 'proof of life', indicating a fear that he may have been killed during the assault.
Adding to the tension, Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek Saab, claimed that 'innocents' had been 'mortally-wounded' during the US operation. However, no specific evidence or casualty figures were immediately provided to support this assertion.
The Elite Unit Behind the Mission
Delta Force is one of America's most clandestine and highly-trained military units, with the identities of its members kept strictly secret. They are routinely tasked with the nation's most perilous missions.
The unit's most renowned recent success was the October 2019 raid on the Syrian compound of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, which led to his death. The capture of a sitting head of state marks another extraordinary chapter in their history.
As smoke was seen rising from the vicinity of La Carlota Airport in Caracas following the operation, the geopolitical repercussions began to unfold. This remains a developing story with significant implications for US-Venezuela relations and international law.
