Operation Absolute Resolve: How US Special Forces Captured Venezuela's Maduro

Operation Absolute Resolve: The Plan

• 🎯 The operation, codenamed "Absolute Resolve," aimed to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
• CIA operatives conducted secret reconnaissance in Caracas, studying Maduro's movements and behavior.
• 🤝 An asset within Maduro's circle fed intelligence directly to the US military.
• ✈️ The US built up an armada in the Caribbean in anticipation of the operation.

Military Rehearsal and Approval

• 🎭 Elite US troops, including Delta Force, rehearsed the plan using a life-sized replica of Maduro's safe house, similar to the Osama bin Laden raid.
• 🛰️ A stealth reconnaissance drone, an RQ-70 Sentinel, circled above Venezuela, confirming Maduro's location.
• 🗓️ President Trump approved the operation at the end of December, with a final go-ahead given for optimal weather and cover.

The Assault and Blackout

• ⚡ Over 150 fighter jets, including F-35s and F-22s, struck Venezuela's defenses under the cover of darkness.
• 💥 Targets included airfields, military bases, and telecommunications towers, neutralizing Soviet-built missile launchers.
• 💡 A communications blackout, potentially using a "blackout bomb" that short-circuits electrical equipment, plunged Caracas into darkness.
• 🚁 US special forces helicopters flew low over the water, entering Venezuela undetected.

Extraction and Aftermath

• ⚔️ Maduro loyalists attempted to fight back, resulting in a gun battle where one helicopter was damaged but remained flyable.
• 🚪 Delta Force, armed with blowtorches and an FBI hostage negotiator, stormed the complex.
• 🏃 Maduro was captured as he fled his bedroom with his wife, failing to reach a panic room.
• 🇺🇸 While some US forces were injured, none died; however, 40 Venezuelans and 32 Cuban nationals were reported killed.

Strategic Implications

• 🌍 The operation was presented as a demonstration of US military might to China, Russia, and Iran.
• 🚀 The success was highlighted as a significant special forces mission, showcasing American military capabilities.