Operation Absolute Resolve

Operation Absolute Resolve was a U.S. military operation conducted on January 3, 2026, resulting in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, during a pre-dawn raid on his fortified compound in Caracas.
The mission, which involved over 150 aircraft including bombers, fighter jets, and reconnaissance planes, began at 22:46 EST on January 2, 2026, after President Donald Trump authorized the operation from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
The operation was preceded by months of intelligence gathering, including a covert CIA team entering Venezuela in August 2025 to monitor Maduro’s movements, with detailed information collected on his daily routines, diet, and even his pets.
A full-scale replica of Maduro’s compound was constructed in Kentucky for rehearsal by Delta Force and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, allowing troops to practice breaching reinforced steel doors and clearing the structure under simulated conditions.

The operation commenced with a cyberattack that cut power across much of Caracas, enabling stealthy approach by aircraft and helicopters.
Air strikes targeted key military installations, including air defense systems, Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda Air Base, La Carlota airfield, and Port La Guaira, with explosions reported across the city around 02:00 local time.
Despite resistance, including one U.S. helicopter being hit, Delta Force operators breached the compound within minutes, apprehending Maduro as he attempted to flee to a secure room.
The operation concluded with Maduro and his wife being extracted by helicopter and flown to the USS Iwo Jima in the Caribbean, then transferred to Guantánamo Bay before being flown to a military-controlled airport near New York City.

The U.S. justified the action as a law enforcement operation based on a federal indictment for drug trafficking and narco-terrorism, with Maduro set to appear in a Manhattan federal court on January 5, 2026.
The operation drew immediate international condemnation, with Brazil’s President Lula da Silva calling it a dangerous precedent, and raised concerns over civilian casualties, with Venezuelan and Cuban officials reporting over 80 deaths, including 32 Cuban military and intelligence personnel.
The U.S. military reported only two soldiers injured, with no fatalities.
The operation was carried out without prior congressional notification, with officials citing the risk of leaks as justification.
The Trump administration claimed the U.S. would manage Venezuela until a "proper, safe transition" occurred, though this position was later contradicted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.