For several months, U.S. intelligence had been closely surveilling Venezuelan President NicolĂĄs Maduro. A small group, which included a source inside the Venezuelan government, had been tracking the 63-year-old president's routines, including his sleep patterns, dietary habits, and even his pets. In early December, meticulous plans for 'Operation Absolute Resolve' were finalized, having undergone extensive planning and rehearsals. These preparations were so detailed that elite U.S. troops constructed a full-scale replica of Maduro's safe house in Caracas to practice their maneuvers.
This extraordinary U.S. military intervention, reminiscent of Cold War-era actions, was tightly classified. Congress remained uninformed. Military officials awaited ideal conditions to ensure maximum surprise. Although there was an initial clearance from U.S. President Donald Trump, the operation was delayed by four days for more favorable weather with clearer skies. 'The men and women of the United States military sat ready, patiently waiting for the right triggers to be met and the president to order us into action,' explained General Dan Caine, the top-ranking military officer, during a news conference.
The mission was greenlit by President Trump at 22:46 EST on Friday (03:46 GMT on Saturday). 'Four days ago, we thought we would go. Three days ago, two days ago, but then suddenly, it was a go,' Trump explained during a Fox & Friends interview. Gen Caine recalled Trump's words of encouragement: 'good luck and godspeed.' With the timing coinciding just before midnight in Caracas, the U.S. military had most of the night to operate under cover of darkness.
The operation stretched over two hours and twenty minutes, utilizing air, land, and sea resources to unprecedented scale and precision. Immediate condemnation followed from regional powers, with Brazilian President Lula da Silva warning that the capture set a 'dangerous precedent for the entire international community.'
Rather than following the mission from the White House, Trump watched the operation via live stream from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, alongside advisers including CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 'It was an incredible thing to see,' Trump said. 'I watched it like a television show... it was amazing.'
In the preceding months, a heavy U.S. military presence had built up in the area, driven by accusations from Trump that Maduro was involved in drug-trafficking and narco-terrorism. This included thousands of U.S. troops and an aircraft carrier group. The air phase of Operation Absolute Resolve engaged more than 150 aircraftâbombers, fighter jets, and reconnaissance planesâpaving the way for the operation's complex aerial maneuvers. 'We were prepared for every situation,' Trump commented to Fox News.