Nicolas Maduro, the Venezuelan President, was apprehended by the Trump administration in a daring and swift overnight operation on Saturday, causing widespread shock. Maduro, 63, and his wife, Cilla Flores, 69, were extracted from Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, by the Delta Force, an elite unit of the US military, during “Operation Absolute Resolve.” The operation involved a rapid deployment of armed forces, supported by jets and aircraft, targeting military installations and the mausoleum of Hugo Chavez in a munitions blitz.
Videos captured by Venezuelans depicted massive flames and smoke rising from the area, contrasting with the images released by the Trump administration showing Maduro in a tracksuit as he was being processed in New York. Maduro had been indicted on drug and terrorism charges in a New York court in 2020, with the unsealed indictment revealing the four charges he faces while in US custody. These charges include narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess such weapons.
Maduro has been transported to New York to face these charges, as evidenced by video footage released by the White House showing him being escorted through a US Drug Enforcement Administration office by two agents. Previous photos shared on Truth Social by Trump depicted Maduro bound and blindfolded on the USS Iwo Jima assault ship. The operation, which had been in planning for months, concluded in a surprisingly casual manner, with agents seen posing with the former President.
The US military strike targeted military installations and a port in Venezuela, resulting in dramatic images of smoke and fire billowing into the sky. Venezuelan authorities have alleged that the US strikes caused harm to civilian populations. Post-attack photos revealed significant damage to military infrastructure caused by missiles. Maduro has been photographed multiple times with his captors, appearing relaxed and even making peace signs. Following his arrival in the US, he was taken to a detention center in New York. Trump shared pictures of himself during the operation at Mar-a-Lago.