January 3rd, 2026 - Inside Operation Absolute Resolve: How the U.S. Moved to Seize Nicolás Maduro

In August, a covert team of C.I.A. officers quietly entered Venezuela with a focused mission: gather precise intelligence on Nicolás Maduro, a leader the Trump administration had designated a narco-terrorist. Operating without diplomatic cover and under constant risk, the team spent months tracking Maduro’s movements across Caracas, building an extraordinarily detailed picture of his daily routines.

That intelligence, combined with human sources and advanced surveillance from stealth drones, laid the groundwork for what would become Operation Absolute Resolve. According to Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. forces ultimately knew where Maduro went, what he ate, and how he lived, giving planners an unprecedented operational advantage.

The information culminated in a pre-dawn raid carried out by elite Army Delta Force commandos, marking the most daring U.S. capture mission since the operation against Osama bin Laden in 2011. Despite the risks, the mission was executed with speed and precision, extracting Maduro from Venezuela without the loss of a single American life which was a result President Trump publicly praised.

In the days leading up to the operation, U.S. forces rehearsed extensively, including training inside a full-scale replica of Maduro’s compound. Special Operations planners waited patiently for the right weather, the right intelligence confirmation, and the lowest possible risk to civilians before moving forward.

Once authorized, the operation unfolded rapidly. A coordinated cyberattack plunged parts of Caracas into darkness, while U.S. aircraft neutralized radar and air defenses to clear a safe corridor. Helicopters carrying Delta Force operators then moved in, facing resistance but overwhelming it decisively.

Within minutes of breaching the compound, U.S. forces had Maduro in custody. He was swiftly transported out of the country, transferred to U.S. custody, and flown to face federal charges in New York. President Trump monitored the operation in real time from Mar-a-Lago, later describing it as a decisive blow against narco-terrorism.

The administration framed Operation Absolute Resolve as a clear demonstration of American strength, intelligence superiority, and resolve. While critics raised legal and political questions, supporters pointed to the flawless execution and the message it sent: under President Trump, the United States would act decisively to protect its interests and hold hostile leaders accountable.

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