The US covert operation in Venezuela/ What is known about the capture of Nicolas Maduro

2026-01-03 19:04:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The US covert operation in Venezuela/ What is known about the capture of Nicolas

US President Donald Trump has declared that US forces have captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro after a large-scale military operation in the South American country.

According to Trump, Maduro and his wife left Venezuela by plane in an operation carried out in cooperation with US law enforcement. They are charged in New York with drug and weapons-related offenses.

The claim comes after reports of explosions in several areas of Caracas in the early hours of Saturday morning, including near military bases.

Meanwhile, the Venezuelan government has denied these claims and demanded proof that Maduro is alive and well. Authorities have put the armed forces on alert and declared a national emergency.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Caracas. The US has long accused Maduro of personal involvement in drug trafficking and of illegally ruling the country, accusations the Venezuelan president has denied, calling them US threats and interference.

What is known about the operation to capture Maduro?

According to CBS News, the BBC's American partner, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was captured by the US military's elite Delta Force, the top counter-terrorism unit.

US President Donald Trump told Fox and Friends that Maduro and his wife were taken from a fortified residence, described as “a kind of fortress.” He said US forces were equipped to cut through steel, but there was no need to use that strategy. According to Trump, the operation was directly monitored by him, with no loss of life on the part of US forces and only a few injuries.

The US covert operation in Venezuela/ What is known about the capture of Nicolas

After their capture, Maduro and his wife were transported by ship to the US, en route to New York.

A CIA source within the Venezuelan government reportedly helped track down Maduro. The operation was the result of months of planning and relied on a vast intelligence network. US forces were prepared for a second wave of intervention, but it was not deemed necessary.

Republican Senator Mike Lee, after a conversation with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said that no further military action is expected in Venezuela, emphasizing that the attacks were intended to protect forces implementing the arrest warrant.

Meanwhile, at around 02:00 local time, loud explosions were heard in Caracas and clouds of smoke were seen over the city. Videos showing explosions and helicopters in flight have circulated on social media, but have not yet been verified. There is no official information on casualties.

The Venezuelan government also announced that attacks have also been reported in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira. /CNA