In a dramatic development that left many Americans astounded, Delta Force operatives reportedly captured Nicolas Maduro directly from his residence.
However, for Seth Harp, an investigative journalist with deep insights into the clandestine operations of special forces, this event was far from unexpected.
Harp, renowned for his impactful book “The Fort Bragg Cartel,” which stirred significant interest within military circles, pointed out that the Trump administration had previously signaled their intention to take decisive action.
The breathtaking overnight operation on Saturday was the peak of escalating tensions between the United States and the Venezuelan government, which had been building for months.
As dawn approached, the skies over Caracas were filled with the sound of Black Hawks and Chinooks, as elite soldiers stormed into Maduro’s quarters to detain him and his wife.
Following their swift capture, the couple was transported to the USS Iwo Jima, then flown to New York City, where they now face imprisonment and an impending trial on a series of serious charges.
President Trump, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth all watch the Maduro mission unfold from a temporary situation room created at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach in the early hours of Saturday
Military aircraft parked at Jose Aponte de la Torre Airport in Ceiba, Puerto Rico on Saturday. More than 150 planes including fighters, bombers and drones were deployed to guarantee the success of the Maduro mission
For Harp, the stealth attack was only possible due to the covert operations that were undertaken by the CIA, and he shed light on how their plans would have unfolded.
He told the Daily Mail: ‘A great deal of planning and surveillance [went into this].
‘They have informants, they have collaborators, they have spies inside the Venezuelan government, no doubt that they have bought off by giving them large amounts of money and offering to relocate their families.’
Insiders suggest the CIA’s operation started in August, but it remains unclear if the initial plans predate this.
Harp said one of the first things the US would have done was to ‘recruit traitors’ who are ‘willing to betray the Venezuelan government.’
He continued: ‘That’s probably the most important thing, because that gives an insight into Maduro’s movements.’
The military would have also had to gain surveillance and could have done so through the use of aircrafts and satellites and electronic intercepts.
They could have also used undercover US operatives, who could have been planting eavesdropping devices, Harp suggested.
President Trump shared this humiliating photo of Maduro after his capture on Saturday afternoon
But Harp pointed out that while the CIA and military plotted the operation, it could not have gone ahead without the president’s agreement.
He said: ‘It’s unimaginable to me that they would have abducted Maduro without that specific order coming from Trump.’
As for what comes next for Venezuela, it’s not looking good, Harp said. He continued: ‘Trump has said they’re going to run the country.
‘So contending with a population that doesn’t see them as legitimate is going to be an obstacle. Their lack of control over the security forces will be big obstacle.’
He also said the ‘violent way’ the Trump Administration has gone about removing Maduro will also cause problems keeping the peace in the Latin American country.
He said: ‘These are all the same obstacles that the United States confronted in past regime change wars, which led to those operations failing.
‘So the prospects don’t look good in Venezuela.’ In the past, Harp said, the reigning president lost popularity among US citizens after a coup.
But more importantly, a coup has led to mass immigration with millions seeking asylum from the unstable countries after the US intervened.
Wrecked anti-aircraft apparatus and a trashed bus are seen in Caracas as dawn rose on Saturday morning
Nicolas Maduro and wife Cilia are seen in January 2024. The pair will now be brought to New York City to face federal charges
Delta Force soldiers arrived at the Maduro compound at 1:01am ET Saturday – or 2:01am Caracas time.
The pair were put on a helicopter guarded by fighter jets and flown to the USS Iwo Jima, landing on the war ship at 3:29am ET.
Maduro and his wife were flown to Guantanamo Bay and on to New York City, where the pair face drug smuggling and weapons charges.
Trump claims Maduro was head of the Cartel de los Soles (Cartel of the Suns), which he claims flooded the US with cocaine.
Maduro was indicted over his alleged involvement in 2020. His wife was not charged at the time and Trump has yet to clarify what charges she faces.
Trump shocked the world on Saturday by saying the US will ‘run’ Venezuela until a suitable new leader could be found.
