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According to The New York Times, citing a source briefed on the operation, a CIA informant within the Venezuelan government provided critical intelligence that enabled US special forces to locate and capture President Nicolás Maduro in a meticulously planned raid.
Some shit you should know before you dig in: Yesterday, the United States carried out a military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The mission involved over 150 aircraft launched from 20 land and sea bases, including bombers, fighter jets, and surveillance planes that disabled Venezuela’s air defenses and secured the skies over Caracas. Special operations forces, including members of Delta Force, were inserted via helicopters flying at low altitudes, breaching Maduro’s heavily fortified compound under the cover of darkness. Maduro attempted to flee into a steel-reinforced safe room but was apprehended before he could escape; a brief firefight followed, resulting in injuries to US personnel but no fatalities. By early morning, US forces had successfully extracted Maduro from the country, later releasing images of him in custody aboard the USS Iwo Jima. Later that evening, he and his wife arrived in New York City where they now face drug trafficking charges.
What’s going on now: Per The Times, a high-level Venezuelan government official working as a covert informant for the CIA played a central role in the operation by providing precise, real-time intelligence on Nicolás Maduro’s location and movements. The source was instrumental in allowing US forces to track Maduro with near-perfect accuracy in the days and hours leading up to the raid. The CIA complemented this intelligence with reconnaissance drones, enabling the agency to build a detailed profile of Maduro’s routines and vulnerabilities.
In addition to aerial surveillance, the CIA had secretly inserted a small team into Venezuela during the summer. This team operated deep within the country to track Maduro’s “pattern of life” (a term used in intelligence circles to describe daily behaviors, schedules, and habits that can be exploited for targeting). Their work allowed US forces to construct a full-scale replica of Maduro’s residence and rehearse the mission in minute detail. The compound’s layout, escape routes, and even backup power systems were all modeled based on intelligence fed by the CIA’s assets.
This all comes as The New York Times and The Washington Post were both aware of the impending raid before it occurred but chose to delay publication at the administration’s request. Officials warned that premature reporting could compromise troop safety and the mission’s secrecy.
As of now, it is unclear if the Venezuelan informant will be able to collect the $50 million reward offered by the US government for information leading to Nicolás Maduro’s arrest or conviction.
