How did the US Army arrest Maduro from his 'impregnable fortress'?
Digital Desk, New Delhi. America's 'Operation Absolute Resolve' on Venezuela is being discussed all over the world. While on one hand this operation is being seen as a violation of international law, on the other hand America is seeing it as an extraordinary success of Special Forces and a show of power by Trump.
In this operation named 'Operation Absolute Resolve', Maduro was extracted from Venezuela by US Special Forces and taken to the US to face federal drug trafficking charges. According to officials associated with the CIA's secret mission, a CIA team entered Venezuela in August to gather intelligence about Maduro.
Maduro was declared a narco-terrorist by the Trump administration. According to the NYT report, the officials acted without diplomatic cover due to the closure of the US Embassy in Caracas.
Earlier, Trump had publicly said that he had given permission to the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela. When asked if the agency had been instructed to 'eliminate Maduro', the President replied that it would be 'absurd' to answer.
kept an eye on every nook and corner
The agency combined intelligence from a close aide of Maduro with surveillance from stealth drones flying over Caracas to create a complete picture of his daily routine. All these inputs helped US agencies trace Maduro's daily routine in detail.
The CIA team collected information about Maduro's daily routine, including what he ate and even what pets he had. Officials said this information ultimately proved to be a milestone in the planning of the military operation.
There were challenges of military rehearsal and targeting
As intelligence was gathered, Delta Force commandos began rehearsing a possible extraction at a full-scale copy of Maduro's compound built by the Joint Special Operations Command in Kentucky. The drill focused on making rapid entry, breaching reinforced steel doors and evacuating the structure within minutes.
According to the NYT, the mission faced several major challenges. Maduro often stayed with six to eight people and would decide late in the evening where he would stay. This meant that American planners did not have precise information about their location until shortly before nightfall, making targeting decisions difficult.
Before the operation, America had increased pressure on Maduro. A week before the operation, the CIA conducted a drone attack on a Venezuelan port. The US military carried out a legally disputed operation in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific for months, destroying dozens of boats and killing at least 115 people. According to US officials, Maduro tried to avert a US attack by giving him access to Venezuelan oil.
Operation delayed due to weather
President Donald Trump had given permission for the army to proceed on December 25 itself, but left the task of deciding the final time to Pentagon officials and special operations planners. The timing of the holidays was considered favorable, as many Venezuelan officials and military personnel were on leave. Days before the operation, the US deployed additional special operations aircraft, electronic warfare planes, Reaper drones, search-and-rescue helicopters, and fighter jets to the area.
The operation was delayed for several days due to bad weather. Trump, speaking at a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, said the operation was delayed four days due to bad weather. As conditions improved, commanders kept an eye out for targeting opportunities. Trump gave the final approval at 10.46 pm on Friday night, keeping an eye on the situation from Mar-a-Lago.
How did the operation start?
The operation formally began around 4.30 pm on Friday. For the next several hours, they monitored weather conditions and Maduro's whereabouts.
Trump spent the evening at Mara-Lago, where aides told him he would be contacted later for final approval. He placed the order over the phone and then joined senior national security officials in a secure room on the property, watching the operation unfold live.
Inside Venezuela, the operation began with a cyberattack that cut power to large parts of Caracas, allowing planes and helicopters to arrive with little detection, U.S. officials said.
More than 150 American aircraft surrounded the fort
More than 150 American aircraft, including drones, fighters and bombers, took off from 20 bases and naval ships. On Saturday morning, US warplanes attacked Venezuelan radar and air defense sites.
At least 40 people, including civilians and military personnel, were killed during the attacks. Despite suppressing air defenses, US helicopters were fired upon as they approached Maduro's compound at around 2.01 am (local time).
One helicopter was hit by gunfire and about a half-dozen American soldiers were injured, officials said. Delta Force operators infiltrated the compound using explosives and reached Maduro within minutes. "I literally watched it like I was watching a television show," Trump later said on Fox News.
Within five minutes of entering the building, Delta Force reported that Maduro had been taken into custody. He and his wife were taken by helicopter and transferred to the USS Iwo Jima in the Caribbean at 4:29 a.m. Caracas time. From there he was taken to Guantanamo Bay and then to a military-controlled airport near New York.
Pretty amazing! Here is how the United States captured the President of one of the largest countries on earth 👀 pic.twitter.com/GE87b3NbtG