US General Reveals Details of Operation to Capture Venezuela's President
General Dan Caine outlined Operation Absolute Resolve during a Saturday press conference, detailing a complex mission resulting in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The operation involved more than 150 aircraft and was the culmination of months of intelligence gathering, planning, and rehearsal.
Weather conditions were a crucial factor, with the go-ahead given at 10:46 pm Washington time (3:46 am GMT) on Friday. US helicopters approached Maduro's compound at about 100 feet above water, arriving around 1:01 am EST (6:04 am GMT).
The forces involved included a range of aircraft such as F-22s, F-35s, F-18s, E-18s, E-2s, and B-1 bombers. The Joint Air Component dismantled air defenses as the operation neared Caracas. During the mission, Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured and taken into custody before being moved to the USS Iwo Jima.
Although one helicopter sustained a hit, it remained flyable, and there were instances of self-defense engagements during withdrawal. The extraction over water was completed at 3:29 am EST (8:29 am GMT).
Officials reported no American service members were killed and no equipment was lost. Both Maduro and his wife are indicted by the US, and former President Trump described the operation in dramatic terms.
