In a dramatic escalation of its campaign against the Venezuelan government, the United States has successfully captured the country's president, Nicolás Maduro. The operation, ordered by President Donald Trump, culminated in the early hours of Saturday, 3 January 2026, with Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, being extracted from Caracas and flown to a US warship.
The Details of the Daring Raid
In an interview on Fox and Friends Weekend, President Trump provided extensive details of the mission. He described Maduro as being "highly guarded" within a presidential palace that was "like a fortress." Crucially, the Venezuelan leader was unable to reach a secure safe room, a space with solid steel walls, before American forces overwhelmed his position.
Trump revealed that US troops were prepared for that contingency, armed with "massive blowtorches" to cut through the steel. Extensive preparation included practicing the assault on a replica of the target building constructed for training purposes. The President emphasised that the operation was executed under the cover of darkness, with US forces having turned off "almost all of the lights in Caracas." Residents reported hearing at least seven explosions during the attack, which lasted less than 30 minutes.
Casualties and the Path to Justice
The raid resulted in casualties on both sides. Venezuela's acting leader, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, stated that some Venezuelan civilians and military personnel were killed. President Trump confirmed that a few US operatives were injured, with one helicopter hit hard, but believed no American lives were lost. "A couple of guys were hit, but they came back and they're supposed to be in pretty good shape," he said.
Trump stated that weather was a critical factor, with the mission delayed for four days until perfect conditions presented themselves. Maduro and Flores are now en route to New York to face justice. The US Justice Department has released an indictment accusing the pair of involvement in a narco-terrorism conspiracy.
Months of Escalating Tensions
This direct ground operation marks a significant intensification after months of US military action. Since early September, the US had conducted 35 known strikes on vessels suspected of drug trafficking in the Caribbean and Pacific, actions Trump said had killed at least 115 people. The campaign moved onto Venezuelan soil just days before the raid, with a CIA drone strike on a docking area used by drug cartels on 29 December.
The capture of a sitting head of state represents an unprecedented moment in modern hemispheric relations and sets the stage for a complex legal and diplomatic aftermath.
