How the US Caught Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro: Inside the High-Risk American Operation
January 4, 2026 | By: Dr. Syed Habeeb Imam Quadri
US President Donald Trump announced that American forces had captured Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in a high-risk military operation. Trump made the announcement early Saturday morning (US time) on his social media platform, Truth Social.
About seven hours later, Trump shared a photo showing Nicolás Maduro with a mask over his eyes, holding a water bottle and wearing a tracksuit. Trump said Maduro was on board the US Navy ship USS Iwo Jima, which reportedly brought him to the United States. Maduro is expected to face charges related to drugs and illegal weapons in a US court.
According to reports by Reuters and CBS News, the operation was planned secretly for several months. The US Army’s elite Delta Force reportedly practised the mission many times using a model of Maduro’s safe house. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) closely tracked Maduro’s movements with help from sources close to him.
Trump said he approved the mission four days earlier, but military officials waited for good weather. He told Fox News that the operation was launched suddenly when weather conditions became suitable. Trump watched the mission live from his club in Florida and described it as intense and fast-moving.
CIA Role and Intelligence Network
Reports say a CIA informant inside Venezuela helped the US forces identify Maduro’s exact location. This source was part of a larger intelligence network that included satellite and signal tracking. The US had earlier announced a reward of up to $50 million for information leading to Maduro’s arrest.
The CIA director had previously said the agency would focus more on recruiting human sources, which played a key role in this operation.
Heavy Military Deployment
Before the operation, the US deployed large military forces in the Caribbean region. This included an aircraft carrier, 11 warships, dozens of F-35 fighter jets and over 15,000 troops.
At the start of the mission, US aircraft reportedly struck key targets near Venezuela’s capital Caracas to weaken air defence systems. Residents in Caracas reported loud explosions and fear, with some saying their homes shook badly.
Images later showed damaged military vehicles and installations at Venezuelan bases.
Maduro’s ‘Fort-Like’ Safe House
US special forces and FBI agents stormed Maduro’s safe house in Caracas. Trump described the building as more like a fortress than a home, with strong steel doors. Reports say Maduro tried to reach a safe room but was stopped before he could enter.
Trump said some US soldiers were injured during the operation, but no one was killed. One US helicopter was badly damaged but managed to return safely.
The operation, according to Trump, ended with Maduro being taken into custody from what he called a heavily protected, fortress-like residence.
