In an audacious move, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has been captured by the United States Army’s elite Delta Force during a covert operation at his fortified compound. The mission, which took place in the dead of night, resulted in the apprehension of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, as confirmed by CBS News.
The high-stakes operation unfolded early Saturday morning, as the Delta Force unit penetrated the couple’s heavily-guarded residence. According to CNN, the couple was taken by surprise while they slept, and the raid remarkably concluded without any American casualties.
This dramatic capture was executed by helicopter, whisking Maduro and his wife away from Caracas. Their exact location had been meticulously tracked by CIA operatives, with President Donald Trump authorizing the mission just two days prior.
President Trump has accused Maduro and his administration of attempting to inundate the United States with illegal narcotics, leading to their imminent trial on charges related to drug and weapons trafficking.
Maduro’s legal troubles with the United States are not new. He was previously indicted in 2020 during Trump’s initial term, facing allegations of cocaine smuggling into the country.
Maduro was previously indicted in 2020, during Trump’s first term as president, on charges of importing cocaine into the US.
Further details are expected at a press conference set to be held at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago country club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday morning.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and wife Cilia were both seized by a US military unit in the early hours of Caracas, with Maduro now set to face drugs and gun charges in the United States
Smoke rises from La Carlota Airport in Caracas, Venezuela, after a daring dead-of-night mission by the US Army’s Delta Force unit to capture the country’s president Nicolas Maduro on drugs charges
An explosion rocks Caracas in the early hours of Saturday morning during a US military operation which resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro
Maduro’s top lieutenants have demanded ‘proof of life’ for their missing leader, suggesting they fear he may have been killed in the raid.
The country’s attorney general Tarek Saab added that ‘innocents’ had been ‘mortally-wounded’ during the US operation – but no further details were shared.
Congressional leaders were notified about the operation just after it was ignited, per CBS sources.
Delta Force, whose full title is the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta, is one of the United States’s most elite military units.
Its members – whose identifies remain a secret – are tasked with carrying out the most dangerous missions on behalf of the US Army.
Delta Force’s most famous operations include an October 2019 raid on the Syrian compound of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, which resulted in his death.
Delta operators refer to themselves as ‘the Unit’ and are an elite counter terrorism unit.
The Unit is known for dismantling major terrorist networks and targets and works closely with the CIA.
Based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the unit operates under the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), which oversees special mission units.
President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores hold hands and pose for photos after the swear-in ceremony at Palacio Federal Legislativo on January 10, 2025 in Caracas, Venezuela
A military vehicle destroyed by Saturday’s strikes in Venezuela is seen burned-out as dawn breaks in Caracas on Saturday morning
The US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) is responsible for the unit’s personnel management and administration.
Operators are also known to provide security for US leaders during their travels to dangerous or war-affected areas, per Military.com.
Delta Force has about 2,000 soldiers organized into seven squadrons, four of which are assault squadrons, per Britannica.
Each squadron is made up of three troops: Two troops conduct assaults and the third conducts reconnaissance and sniping.
Founded in 1977 by Col. Charles Beckwith, he was inspired by the British Army’s 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment, their highly classified counter-terrorism unit.
Beckwith believed the U.S. needed an SAS equivalent because of the rise in terrorism, leading to it’s establishment.
Developing story, check back for updates…
