Inside the US plan to apprehend Maduro: Mock House, CIA Source, and Special Forces

The move was unexpected, but according to those with knowledge of the situation, meticulous rehearsals were part of the months-long planning process for one of the most complicated US operations in recent memory.

An exact replica of Maduro’s safe house was built by elite US troops, including the Army’s Delta Force, and they practised breaking into the heavily protected home.

According to one person acquainted with the situation, the CIA had a small team on the ground beginning in August who were able to provide insight into Maduro’s way of living, making his capture easy.

According to two more people who spoke to Reuters, the intelligence service also had an asset near Maduro who would keep an eye on his whereabouts and be ready to pinpoint his precise location as the operation progressed.

Four days ago, Trump gave the go-ahead for the operation, but military and intelligence planners advised him to hold off until the weather improved and there was less cloud cover. General Dan Caine, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters that Trump gave the final approval for Operation Absolute Resolve at 10:46 p.m. EST on Friday.

Trump watched a live video of the events while accompanied by his advisors at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.

Interviews with four people with knowledge of the situation and information disclosed by Trump himself provide insight into how the hours-long operation transpired.

“I’ve done some pretty good ones, but I’ve never seen anything like this,” Trump stated on Fox News a few hours after the mission was finished.

“MASSIVE” OPERATION

Over a dozen F-35 planes, eleven warships, and an aircraft carrier have all been sent to the Caribbean as part of the Pentagon’s huge military buildup. Over 15,000 troops have arrived in the area for what U.S. authorities have traditionally referred to as anti-drug operations.

One of the individuals claims that CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Trump senior aide Stephen Miller created a core team that worked on the matter for months with frequent, perhaps daily, phone calls and meetings. They frequently met with the president as well.

According to a U.S. military official, Trump and his aides met late on Friday night and early on Saturday while many American planes took off and launched attacks against targets inside and near Caracas, including air defence systems.

More than 150 aircraft, including B-1 bombers and F-35 and F-22 jets, were fired from 20 bases throughout the Western Hemisphere, according to Caine.

“We had a fighter jet for every possible situation,” Trump stated on “Fox & Friends” on Fox News Channel.

According to sources who spoke to Reuters, the Pentagon also surreptitiously entered the area to refuel planes that specialise in electronic jamming, drones, and air tankers.

According to US officials, military objectives were struck by the attacks. Reuters captured photos of burnt military vehicles from a Venezuelan anti-aircraft unit at the La Carlota air base in Caracas.

US Special Forces entered Caracas using heavy weapons during the strikes, including a blowtorch in case they needed to cut through steel doors at Maduro’s site.

According to Caine, the military arrived at Maduro’s compound in central Caracas at around one in the morning EST on Saturday while under fire. Despite being struck, one of the helicopters was still able to fly.

Residents shared videos of a convoy of helicopters flying low over the city on social media.

When they arrived at Maduro’s safe home, the army and FBI agents entered what Trump called a “very highly guarded … fortress”.

“They just broke in, and they broke into places that were not really able to be broken into, you know, steel doors that were put there for just this reason,” Trump stated. “They got taken out in a matter of seconds.”

IN CUSTODY, MADURO

According to Caine, Maduro and his spouse turned themselves in as the troops entered the safe home. According to Trump, the Venezuelan leader attempted to enter a safe room but was unable to shut the door.

“He got bum-rushed so fast that he didn’t get into that,” Trump stated.
Trump said that while some American personnel were struck, no one was killed.

Rubio began alerting lawmakers to the operation’s progress. As is typical for important politicians who have an oversight function, the notifications only started after the operation began, officials told Reuters.

According to Caine, the forces engaged in “multiple self-defence engagements” as they exited Venezuelan territory. The helicopters carrying Maduro and his wife were over the ocean at 3:20 a.m. EST.

Trump posted another message on Truth Social nearly exactly seven hours after announcing the operation.

This time, it was a picture of the detained Venezuelan leader wearing grey sweatpants, chained, and blindfolded.

Trump wrote, “Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima,” alluding to the amphibious assault vessel.