Around 200 U.S. military personnel entered Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, as part of a covert operation to capture leftist leader Nicolás Maduro, according to a statement made on Monday by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
Speaking to international media, Hegseth confirmed that American forces detained Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, over the weekend, effectively bringing to an end 12 years of increasingly authoritarian rule by the Venezuelan leader.
Maduro had long been accused by Washington of leading a major drug cartel and was the target of a $50 million U.S. reward for his arrest.
“No American Casualties”
“Nearly 200 of our best Americans went into the heart of Caracas and captured an individual wanted by U.S. justice, in support of law enforcement, without a single American casualty,” Hegseth said during a speech to U.S. Marines and shipbuilders in Virginia.
This marked the first time a U.S. official publicly disclosed the number of American troops involved in the operation, which reportedly included helicopter insertions into Caracas and more than 150 military aircraft deployed in various roles.
According to reports, the operation also involved strikes against Venezuelan air defenses, highlighting the scale and complexity of what U.S. officials have described as a high-risk, high-precision mission.
End of Maduro’s Rule
A self-declared socialist, Maduro ruled Venezuela with what critics described as an iron fist, maintaining power through a series of elections widely regarded as rigged by international observers.
On Monday, Maduro and Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty during their initial appearance in a New York court, where they now face serious drug trafficking and weapons-related charges under U.S. law.
The unprecedented operation has triggered global political shockwaves, raising major questions about international law, sovereignty, and the future of U.S. interventionism.
