Operation Absolute Resolve, which was part of the greater Operation Southern Spear campaign and a demonstration of the Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, was a coordinated United States military and law enforcement mission to seize Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. It was executed before dawn of 3 January 2025 in a single and integrated rapid campaign by intelligence agencies, special forces, naval power, cyber capabilities, and court authorities.
Planning and Executing Operation Absolute Resolve: Inside the United States Operation to Capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro
A pre-dawn blackout, a 30-minute strike, and months of silent preparation culminated in one of the most audacious U.S. operations in decades, as American forces moved swiftly to seize Nicolás Maduro and spirit him out of Venezuela.
There was a previous attempt to capture Maduro. Specifically, according to an exclusive report by the Associated Press, which was published in October 2025, a 16-month covert operation sought to convince the chief pilot of the Venezuelan leader to redirect an aircraft so U.S. authorities could attempt an interception during a controlled diversion. The plan failed.
It is worth underscoring the fact that the aforementioned attempt dated back to the administration of Joe Biden. Nevertheless, with Donald Trump repositioning the role of the U.S. in the Western Hemisphere under the Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, which was detailed in his National Security Strategy, removing Maduro from office was part of his agenda.
The Planning Part: August and December 2025
Operation Absolute Resolve is not a sudden decision of the second Trump administration. It was a result of months of preparation. Moreover, before the January 2026 capture, the U.S. government initiated a five-month campaign beginning in August 2025 to pressure Maduro into stepping down while also exploring possibilities for armed strikes. Below are the details:
• Pressure Campaign: The U.S. expended various tactics to force the Venezuelan president to abandon his post. These included a massive military buildup off the coast of Venezuela, over 30 strikes on what were deemed as narco-boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, and a total naval blockade of sanctioned oil tankers.
• Intelligence Gathering: Multiple intelligence agencies, including the NSA and CIA, spent months tracking the movements of Maduro. General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a press conference that the U.S. knew exactly where Maduro lived, what he ate, what he wore, and even the details of his pets.
• Operation Rehearsals: The U.S. Special Forces, especially the Delta Force, reportedly practiced the boots-on-the-ground portion of the operation on a full-scale replica of the residential compound of Maduro and the entire Fuerte Tiuna military complex in Caracas to familiarize themselves with the territory.
The Execution Part: Operation Absolute Resolve
The large-scale strike in Caracas, capital city of Venezuela and the seat of power of the Venezuelan government, began around 2:00 AM local time on January 3. It was completed in about 30 minutes. Observers, including media reporters, labeled it a rapid strike operation. It also involved evading local defense systems and protocols. The following are further details:
• Phase 1: Airstrike to Neutralize Defenses
More than 150 aircraft were used to carry out the airstrikes. These included F-22 Raptors, F-35 Lightning IIs, B-1 Lancer bombers, and MQ-9 Reaper drones. Trump and other military officials confirmed that electronic warfare was also used to cut power and plunge Caracas into darkness just as the ground raid began.
The U.S. launched precision airstrikes on Fuerte Tiuna, the largest military complex in the country and primary residence of Maduro, the La Carlota airbase, and areas in the states of Miranda, La Guaira, and Aragua. Both air defense and communication systems were targeted to prevent the Venezuelan military from responding.
• Phase 2: Capturing President Maduro
While the airstrikes served as a distraction and neutralized defenses, helicopters from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment flew just 100 feet above the water to avoid radar. Elite Delta Force soldiers, accompanied by FBI Hostage Rescue Team and DEA agents, descended on the residential compound of Maduro.
The U.S. force came under fire and returned fire. One U.S. helicopter was hit but remained flyable. Although a few American personnel were injured, no American fatalities were reported. The Delta Force team succeeded in infiltrating the residential compound and capturing both Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
The Transportation Part: Flying Maduro Out
Once Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized, the extraction happened quickly. They were flown by helicopter to the USS Iwo Jima. This is a U.S. warship stationed off the coast of Venezuela. In addition, from the ship, they were transported via a U.S. military plane to New York City. U.S. President Trump announced the capture of Maduro on Truth Social.
The White House, by the evening of January 3, released footage of the Venezuelan president being escorted by agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency in New York, an apparent perp walk video, to face charges of cocaine importation and narco-terrorism. The webpage from the official White House website noted that Maduro had his chance until he did not.
Nevertheless, while critics have argued that Trump was required to seek a declaration of war from the U.S. Congress, his administration argued that the operation in Venezuela was within the limits of executive territory, especially after it designated drug cartels as foreign terrorists and unlawful combatants, and was based on a 2020 federal indictment against Maduro.
FURTHER READINGS AND REFERENCES
- Abad, A. 3 January 2025. “U.S. Strikes Venezuela: Trump Announced the Capture of Maduro.” Konsyse. Available online
- Abad, A. 29 October 2025. “AP Details U.S. Attempt To Capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro By Bribing His Pilot.” Konsyse. Available online
- ABC News. 3 January 2025. “Gen. Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Details Timeline of Venezuelan Operation.” YouTube. Available online
- Dimolfetta, D. 3 January 2026. “US Spy Agencies Contributed to Operation that Captured Maduro.” Defense One. Available online
- Kinnard, M. and Price, M. L. 3 January 2025. “How U.S. Forces Captured Venezuelan Leader Nicolás Maduro in Caracas.” PBS. Available online