According to multiple U.S. government statements and international news outlets, the mission — described by officials as Operation Absolute Resolve — began before dawn on January 3, 2026.
U.S. forces reportedly launched air strikes on several key military facilities in and around the capital, Caracas, including significant sites such as Fuerte Tiuna military complex and La Carlota airbase. These facilities are among Venezuela’s most important defense installations.
According to official statements, the operation involved coordinated strikes by fighter jets and support aircraft to suppress air defenses, followed by insertion of U.S. special operations units — including elite elements such as the U.S. Army’s Delta Force and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.
These troops secured the compound where Maduro was believed to be located and took both he and Flores into custody.
President Donald Trump publicly confirmed the operation early Saturday morning, saying on social media that both Maduro and his wife had been “successfully captured” and flown out of Venezuela.
Trump described the mission as large in scale and framed it as a critical step in confronting international narcotics networks and criminal activity.
Following capture, reports indicate that Maduro and Flores were transported aboard a U.S. military vessel and later flown to Stewart Airport near New York, placing them in U.S. jurisdiction for legal proceedings.
Charges Filed by the U.S. Attorney General
Shortly after the capture was reported, U.S. Attorney General **Pam Bondi announced that both Maduro and Cilia Flores had been indicted in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
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