Inside the US operation to capture Maduro

Detailed rehearsals were key to the mission.

Get full access to Reuters.com for just $1/week. Subscribe now. One Essential Read One Essential Read Recommended by Anisha De, Newsletter and Notifications Audience Producer Behind-the-scene: How did the US capture Maduro in Venezuela?   Captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrives at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, in New York City, U.S., January 5, 2026. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz At 4:21 a.m. on Saturday, US President Donald Trump sent a message on his Truth Social platform: the United States had carried out a mission to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. The action came as a surprise, but according to sources familiar with the matter, planning for one of the most complex US operations in recent memory had been in the works for months and included detailed rehearsals. Elite US troops, including the Army's Delta Force, and the CIA were poised to pinpoint Maduro's exact location as the operation unfolded. With the pieces in place, at 10:46 p.m. EST on Friday, Trump gave the final go ahead for what would be known as Operation Absolute Resolve. Based on interviews with sources, Reuters reconstructed the events that led to Maduro's capture. Read the full story Sponsors are not involved in the creation of newsletters or other Reuters news content. Advertise in this newsletter or on Reuters' website Reuters One Essential Read is sent three days a week. Think your friend or colleague should know about us? Forward this newsletter to them. They can also sign up here. Want to stop receiving this email? Unsubscribe here. To manage which newsletters you're signed up for, click here. This email includes limited tracking for Reuters to understand whether you've engaged with its contents. For more information on how we process your personal information and your rights, please see our Privacy Statement. Terms & Conditions © 2026 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. 3 Times Square, New York, NY 10036