How US Captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro: Operation Absolute Resolve

Operation Absolute Resolve

• 🎯 A covert US operation, codenamed "Operation Absolute Resolve," was finalized in early December to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
• ⚡ The order to commence the mission came from President Donald Trump at 22:46 EST on a Friday.
• 🇺🇸 US spies had been intensely monitoring Maduro's daily activities for months, including his whereabouts, diet, and even his pets.

Capture and Indictment

• 🚁 Following coordinated strikes on bases across Venezuela, Maduro and his wife, Celia Flores, were captured.
• 🚢 They were initially flown to an air base outside New York, then taken aboard the USS Iowa en route to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
• ⚖️ Maduro was subsequently transferred to Manhattan and indicted on drug trafficking and weapons charges, with his first federal court appearance scheduled for Monday.
• 🏢 He is reportedly being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, a facility that has housed high-profile individuals like R. Kelly and Ghislaine Maxwell.

US Control and Oil Interests

• 🗣️ President Trump announced that the US would temporarily run Venezuela until a safe and proper transition could occur.
• 💰 The US intends to involve its major oil companies to invest billions in fixing Venezuela's oil infrastructure and generating revenue.
• 🌍 This move is seen by many, including Maduro, as being driven by Venezuela's vast oil reserves.

Regional and International Reaction

• 🇨🇴 Colombian authorities are concerned about potential increases in violence due to power vacuums created by Maduro's capture, particularly along the border with Venezuela.
• 🇲🇽 Mexico and other countries in the region express shock and concern over this unprecedented action, fearing potential US intervention in their own affairs.
• ❓ Questions arise regarding the US pardoning former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was convicted as a narco-terrorist, while simultaneously pursuing Maduro on similar grounds.

Venezuelan Internal Situation

• 📰 News within Venezuela has been highly censored, leaving many citizens unaware of the full extent of the events.
• 🏛️ Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has been appointed interim president by Venezuela's Supreme Court, though her loyalty to Maduro and hardline stance are noted.
• 😟 Many Venezuelans fear the uncertainty of what comes next, with empty streets and closed shops reflecting widespread apprehension.
• 🗳️ Opposition figures like María Corina Machado and Edmundo González believe their victory in the July 2024 elections should be honored, rather than new elections being held.