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US capture of Nicolás Maduro (Operation Absolute Resolve)
January 3, 2026· Event· Americas
Well documentedSolid records, physical evidence or scientific consensus.
A January 3, 2026 US special-forces raid on Caracas that seized Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and flew him to New York for trial.
See it on the Battles & Wars map →What happened
After months of naval buildup and boat strikes, more than 150 US aircraft launched from about 20 bases. Jets and jammers disabled Venezuela's air defenses, and much of Caracas lost power. Helicopter-borne special forces stormed Maduro's compound at Fort Tiuna and took him and his wife, Cilia Flores. In New York he pleaded not guilty to narco-terrorism charges first filed in 2020. Dozens of Venezuelan and Cuban security personnel were killed; estimates vary. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez became acting president.
Why it matters
It was the most direct US removal of a Latin American leader since Panama's Manuel Noriega in 1989, signaling readiness to use force in the hemisphere.
How we know
Pentagon briefings by Gen. Dan Caine, President Trump's statements, US court filings in New York, Venezuelan and Cuban government statements, and the UN Security Council's emergency debate.
Still debated
The US calls it law enforcement against an indicted trafficker; critics say it broke the UN Charter and bypassed Congress. What caused the Caracas blackout is not officially confirmed.
Inside this (1)
Connections (7)
▸US strikes on alleged drug boats (Operation Southern Spear) escalated into US capture of Nicolás Maduro (Operation Absolute Resolve)Mostly agreed
The connection
The strikes were the first visible step in an escalating US confrontation with Venezuela. Officials linked targeted boats to Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang and to Maduro, whom they called a narco-terrorist. The naval and air forces massed for the strikes, including the carrier Gerald R. Ford, became the platform for the January 2026 raid.
When and how
Caribbean waters near Venezuela, September 2025 to January 2026, under US Southern Command and Operation Southern Spear.
How sure are we?
The same buildup and commands served both, and officials described both as part of the fight against 'narco-terrorism'.
Debates and open questions
Whether the strikes were mainly counter-drug operations or regime-change pressure from the start is disputed; a 2025 US intelligence assessment reportedly found Maduro did not direct Tren de Aragua.
▸US capture of Nicolás Maduro (Operation Absolute Resolve) echoed the special-forces raid of Killing of Osama bin Laden (Operation Neptune Spear)Mostly agreed
The connection
Both were night helicopter raids by elite US special-operations units into another country without its government's consent, built on months of CIA tracking of the target's habits. The difference: bin Laden was killed, while Maduro, a sitting though disputed head of state, was captured for trial.
When and how
Abbottabad, Pakistan, May 2, 2011, and Caracas, Venezuela, January 3, 2026; each announced by the US president within hours.
How sure are we?
Official accounts of both operations; officials and commentators drew the comparison widely after the Caracas raid.
Debates and open questions
Whether such raids become a habit of US policy, and how international law treats seizing a foreign leader versus killing a terrorist chief, are debated.
▸Military helicopter carried the assault force in the US capture of Nicolás Maduro (Operation Absolute Resolve)Well documented
The connection
In the January 2026 raid, US Army special-operations helicopters flew assault troops into Caracas at night while other aircraft suppressed Venezuelan air defenses. The troops seized Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and flew them out of the country to face US narco-terrorism and drug charges in New York.
When and how
Caracas, Venezuela, early on January 3, 2026; helicopters of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment carrying special-operations troops, reported to include Delta Force.
How we know
Briefings by US officials and extensive news reporting; many operational details remain classified.
Debates and open questions
The US calls it law enforcement against an indicted trafficker; Venezuela's government and many critics call it an illegal attack on sovereignty. Casualty figures are disputed.
▸Electronic warfare (jamming and chaff) helped blind Venezuelan air defenses in the US capture of Nicolás Maduro (Operation Absolute Resolve)Mostly agreed
The connection
Before helicopters could reach Caracas, Venezuela's Russian-supplied air defenses had to be neutralized. Navy EA-18G Growlers, which jam and target radars, flew with fighters and bombers, and Gen. Caine said space and cyber units added 'non-kinetic' effects. No US aircraft was lost, though one helicopter was hit.
When and how
Over northern Venezuela on the night of January 2–3, 2026, within a force of more than 150 aircraft.
How sure are we?
Gen. Caine's briefing listed the Growlers and described disabling air defenses; the specific jamming methods remain classified.
Debates and open questions
How much was achieved by jamming versus bombing, and how well Venezuela's S-300 and Buk systems were maintained beforehand, is unclear.
▸Cyber warfare (Stuxnet) reportedly helped black out Caracas during the US capture of Nicolás Maduro (Operation Absolute Resolve)Debated
The connection
During the raid most of Caracas went dark. President Trump credited 'a certain expertise that we have', and Gen. Caine said Cyber Command and Space Command added effects to suppress Venezuelan defenses. Reports said US cyber teams cut the power, which would make it a rare cyberattack directly supporting a raid.
When and how
Caracas, on the night of January 2–3, 2026, coordinated with the air and special-forces operation.
How sure are we?
Officials hinted at cyber operations without detail; the blackout itself is documented, but its cause is not officially confirmed, so the link is debated.
Debates and open questions
Whether hacking, physical strikes or jamming caused the blackout, and how long US hackers had been inside Venezuela's grid, are unknown.
▸Lockheed (later Lockheed Martin) built the F-22 and F-35 jets flown in US capture of Nicolás Maduro (Operation Absolute Resolve)Well documented
The connection
Lockheed Martin built the stealthy F-22 and F-35 fighters that Gen. Caine listed among the aircraft clearing Venezuela's skies and air defenses for the raid. Its Sikorsky unit also builds the Black Hawk, the workhorse helicopter of US special-operations aviation.
When and how
F-22s and F-35s flew over Venezuela on the night of January 2–3, 2026; Lockheed bought Sikorsky in 2015.
How we know
Gen. Caine's Pentagon briefing named both fighter types, and their manufacturer is documented.
Debates and open questions
Exactly what the stealth fighters did, and which helicopters carried the raid force, have not been officially detailed.
▸Boeing built the Growler jammers and fighters used in US capture of Nicolás Maduro (Operation Absolute Resolve)Mostly agreed
The connection
Boeing makes or supports several aircraft types used in the raid: EA-18G Growler jammers, F/A-18 fighters, and B-1 bombers, inherited when it bought Rockwell's defense business in 1996. Reports also put MH-47 Chinook special-operations helicopters, a Boeing design, in the assault.
When and how
Over Venezuela on the night of January 2–3, 2026, as part of the force of more than 150 aircraft.
How sure are we?
Gen. Caine's briefing named the Growlers, F/A-18s and B-1s; the Chinooks' role rests on press reports, not official confirmation.
Debates and open questions
Which helicopters carried the assault force, and which one was hit, have not been officially detailed.