The dramatic capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces unfolded in the early hours of Saturday, following a tightly coordinated American military operation across northern Venezuela. The mission ended with Maduro flown to the United States, where he is expected to face federal criminal charges in New York.
U.S. Special Forces Operation Begins Overnight
According to officials briefed on the operation, American special operations forces, working with intelligence from a C.I.A. source inside the Venezuelan government, tracked Maduro’s movements in the days leading up to the raid.
At approximately 2 a.m. local time, U.S. forces launched precision strikes across strategic locations in northern Venezuela to neutralize air defenses and secure air corridors for helicopters.
Targets included areas in and around Caracas, triggering the Venezuelan government to declare a national state of emergency.
Explosions Reported Across Caracas and Military Sites
Witnesses reported loud explosions at Fuerte Tiuna, a massive military complex in central Caracas housing senior Venezuelan leadership and believed to be near Maduro’s location.
Photos from the scene showed parts of the military base engulfed in flames early Saturday morning. Verified videos also captured smoke rising near La Carlota Airport, accompanied by repeated blasts.
Additional confirmed strikes were reported at:
La Guaira Port
Higuerote Airport
At least 40 people, including civilians and members of Venezuela’s armed forces, were killed during the attacks, according to a senior Venezuelan official who spoke anonymously due to the sensitivity of early casualty reports.
Maduro Taken Into Custody Within Hours
Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said U.S. forces reached Maduro’s compound at 2:01 a.m. and completed the extraction by 4:29 a.m., returning “over the water” with “indicted persons on board.”
President Donald J. Trump, speaking later Saturday, confirmed that no American troops were killed and no military equipment was lost during the mission. Two defense officials said six U.S. service members were injured.
Transfer by U.S. Navy and FBI Aircraft
Trump said Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were initially transported to the USS Iwo Jima, a U.S. Navy warship operating in the Caribbean.
From there, the couple was flown to the U.S. Navy base at Guantánamo Bay, where an FBI-operated Boeing 757 awaited them. They were then transported to a military airfield north of New York City.
Criminal Charges Await in New York
Maduro now faces a new federal indictment in the Southern District of New York, accusing him of:
Narco-terrorism
Conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States
He was previously indicted on similar charges in 2020, during Trump’s first term. Authorities have not yet announced when Maduro will make his initial court appearance.
Global Attention on What Comes Next
The unprecedented operation — involving airstrikes, intelligence coordination, naval assets, and rapid extraction — marks one of the most significant U.S. interventions in Latin America in decades. As video footage, satellite imagery, and eyewitness accounts continue to surface, global attention now turns to the legal and political consequences of Maduro’s capture.