Spies, drones and blowtorches: How the US captured Maduro

BBC News - WorldCenterEN 6 min read 100% complete January 4, 2026 at 12:42 AM

AI Summary

long article 6 min

According to the article, the United States military captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a meticulously planned operation called "Operation Absolute Resolve." The mission, approved by President Trump, followed months of US intelligence gathering on Maduro's location and habits. The raid, involving air, land, and sea forces, took place overnight in Caracas, lasting two hours and twenty minutes. The US military waited for optimal conditions to maximize surprise, having aborted a previous attempt days earlier. The operation, unprecedented in scale and precision, drew immediate condemnation from regional powers, including Brazil, who criticized it as a dangerous precedent. Congress was not informed or consulted ahead of time.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Lula da Silva 30% Brazil 30% General Dan Caine ×240% Caracas ×250% Operation Absolute Resolve 60% Donald Trump ×370% Venezuela ×270% United States ×480% Nicolás Maduro (Maduro) ×290%

Keywords

us military intervention 90% nicolas maduro 80% us spies 70% operation absolute resolve 70% venezuela 70% military operation 60% donald trump 50% international community 40%