Operation Absolute Resolve: Inside the Secret Raid to Capture Nicolas Maduro, a thread:🧵
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In the early hours of January 3, U.S. Special Operations Forces executed one of the most audacious raids in modern history: the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from his palace in Caracas.
This was not a spontaneous strike. It was the culmination of months of intelligence collection, covert surveillance, and full scale rehearsals. U.S. planners treated Maduro not as a politician, but as a high value criminal target. Every movement, routine, and security layer was mapped in advance.
The goal was simple and unprecedented: grab a sitting head of state alive and get out.
The planning phase relied heavily on human intelligence. U.S. intelligence reportedly penetrated Maduro’s inner circle, tracking his nightly location and habits.
A replica of his residence was built, allowing special operations forces to rehearse the raid repeatedly. Teams trained for steel reinforced doors, panic rooms, and last-stand scenarios.
The assumption was that Maduro would try to barricade himself. The assault force prepared tools specifically designed to cut through hardened steel if needed.
On the night of the raid, the operation began with a coordinated air campaign. Venezuelan air defenses and radar sites around Caracas were neutralized within minutes.
The capital was plunged into darkness as the power grid went offline. Fighter jets, bombers, electronic warfare aircraft, and drones worked in concert.
This was not about destruction—it was about paralysis. By the time Caracas realized something was wrong, the helicopters were already inbound.
Low flying U.S. helicopters entered the city at rooftop level under cover of darkness. As they approached the palace, Venezuelan guards opened fire, striking at least one aircraft.
The helicopters kept flying. Commandos hit the ground and breached the compound in seconds, overwhelming security forces almost immediately. Reinforced doors failed under specialized breaching tools.
The speed of the assault left Maduro with no time to fully secure himself.
Maduro attempted to reach a hardened panic room but was intercepted before he could lock himself inside. He surrendered without a prolonged fight.
His wife was taken into custody alongside him. Within minutes, the primary objective was complete. The force immediately transitioned to extraction, anticipating Venezuelan reinforcements.
The entire ground phase lasted less than half an hour.
As U.S. helicopters lifted off, sporadic fire followed them out of Caracas. Air cover suppressed pursuing forces. The helicopters reached the coast and transferred Maduro to a U.S. naval vessel offshore.
By dawn, he was no longer in Venezuela. Within days, he was in the United States facing federal charges. A sitting president had been removed in a single night.
Militarily, the raid was a textbook example of surprise, speed, and intelligence driven targeting. Politically, it shattered long standing assumptions about sovereignty and U.S. restraint.
For Venezuela, it marked the sudden collapse of a regime built around one man. For the world, it sent a blunt message: no position guarantees safety.
This operation will be studied for decades—not for its scale, but for its precision.
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