America’s Secret Strike: U.S. Forces Nab Maduro in Daring Caracas Raid

Paul Riverbank, 1/9/2026US commandos seize Maduro in dramatic Caracas raid, igniting global tension and uncertain regional futures.

If there was tension beneath the surface, it didn’t escape those in attendance. As he continued, Vance held up the operation’s secrecy almost like a badge—“We managed to keep this under wraps for a long time, and frankly, that’s an accomplishment.” The vice president went out of his way to emphasize ongoing involvement: “Nearly every other day, I’m leading a meeting with top White House figures over Venezuela. We’re working through every next move. Stability in Caracas—well, it’s not just a talking point for us.”

That stability remains, at best, precarious. Starting late Saturday night, whispers turned to shock as word broke that American special forces had landed boots on the ground in Caracas. Working with disorienting speed, they seized President Nicolás Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores, spiriting them away to face charges that, if true, span everything from narco-trafficking to supporting militant networks. The plan, dubbed Operation Absolute Resolve, will likely fill out intelligence studies for years—its details sparse, yet already stirring a blend of admiration and outrage abroad.

Official numbers clashed almost from the start. Venezuelan interior minister Diosdado Cabello, never one for understatement, stood before cameras and gave a round figure: 100 dead, casualties he laid squarely at America’s feet. The Venezuelan military, more precise or perhaps more careful, named only 23 of their own lost. Cuba, Maduro’s steadfast ally, threw in a tally—32 Cuban fighters, fallen in “combat actions” and, as the Communist Party’s paper told it, “fierce resistance.” Outside the region, coverage veered from the somber (Spanish-language channels ran back-to-back remembrances) to the incensed. Havana’s Granma decried the mission as “criminal aggression.”

For the U.S., the toll wasn’t nearly as severe, but it was far from bloodless. Seven American troops reportedly suffered injuries—five, now cleared, have already resumed duty, while two remain under hospital care. An administration spokesperson sounded almost relieved: “The scale and complexity of this mission, accomplished with so few wounded, speaks to the remarkable precision and training of our forces.”

Meanwhile, the political gears spun fast. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, known for blunt pronouncements, wasted no time painting the aftermath in near-apocalyptic tones for Iran and Hezbollah’s fortunes in South America. “No more footholds,” he declared, calling for a full purge of what he labeled terrorist vestiges from the Maduro years. Whether those ambitions bear fruit, or whether they merely invite more confrontation, is open to question.

Back in Caracas, the transition was less triumphant. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez announced seven days of official mourning for Venezuelan soldiers—a gesture met, beyond government buildings, with more weary indifference than genuine reverence. For ordinary Venezuelans, already battered by inflation and shortages, the real aftershock was the suddenness of it all. A president vanishes; borders grow even less certain, and the exodus, always steady, threatens to become a torrent.

Perhaps the most telling moment came as Vance wrapped up his remarks, fielding, almost reflexively, the lingering questions about authority and responsibility. “My role?” He shrugged. “It’s whatever the president needs. So far, that’s meant being right in the thick of things—and I intend to keep it that way as long as I’m asked.”

The world now watches and waits—some hopeful, many wary—as the dust settles over Venezuela’s capital and as regional alliances, tested and frayed, adjust in real time. For now, the true ramifications of Operation Absolute Resolve remain as hazy as the Caracas dawn, with more questions than answers hanging in the humid air.

News out of Washington rarely comes without a trace of intrigue, but this week's unfolding Venezuela episode proved particularly combustible. In a packed White House press room, Vice President JD Vance wasn’t about to let the narrative slip beyond his control. Direct and a touch uncharacteristically forceful, he bristled at suggestions that he or Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard had been excluded from recent covert planning. “That’s false,” Vance said, voice sharpened with conviction. “And another thing—the claim that Tulsi wasn’t in the loop? Also completely false. We are a team—even if sometimes we have to keep the circle tight.”If there was tension beneath the surface, it didn’t escape those in attendance. As he continued, Vance held up the operation’s secrecy almost like a badge—“We managed to keep this under wraps for a long time, and frankly, that’s an accomplishment.” The vice president went out of his way to emphasize ongoing involvement: “Nearly every other day, I’m leading a meeting with top White House figures over Venezuela. We’re working through every next move. Stability in Caracas—well, it’s not just a talking point for us.”That stability remains, at best, precarious. Starting late Saturday night, whispers turned to shock as word broke that American special forces had landed boots on the ground in Caracas. Working with disorienting speed, they seized President Nicolás Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores, spiriting them away to face charges that, if true, span everything from narco-trafficking to supporting militant networks. The plan, dubbed Operation Absolute Resolve, will likely fill out intelligence studies for years—its details sparse, yet already stirring a blend of admiration and outrage abroad.Official numbers clashed almost from the start. Venezuelan interior minister Diosdado Cabello, never one for understatement, stood before cameras and gave a round figure: 100 dead, casualties he laid squarely at America’s feet. The Venezuelan military, more precise or perhaps more careful, named only 23 of their own lost. Cuba, Maduro’s steadfast ally, threw in a tally—32 Cuban fighters, fallen in “combat actions” and, as the Communist Party’s paper told it, “fierce resistance.” Outside the region, coverage veered from the somber (Spanish-language channels ran back-to-back remembrances) to the incensed. Havana’s Granma decried the mission as “criminal aggression.”For the U.S., the toll wasn’t nearly as severe, but it was far from bloodless. Seven American troops reportedly suffered injuries—five, now cleared, have already resumed duty, while two remain under hospital care. An administration spokesperson sounded almost relieved: “The scale and complexity of this mission, accomplished with so few wounded, speaks to the remarkable precision and training of our forces.”Meanwhile, the political gears spun fast. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, known for blunt pronouncements, wasted no time painting the aftermath in near-apocalyptic tones for Iran and Hezbollah’s fortunes in South America. “No more footholds,” he declared, calling for a full purge of what he labeled terrorist vestiges from the Maduro years. Whether those ambitions bear fruit, or whether they merely invite more confrontation, is open to question.Back in Caracas, the transition was less triumphant. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez announced seven days of official mourning for Venezuelan soldiers—a gesture met, beyond government buildings, with more weary indifference than genuine reverence. For ordinary Venezuelans, already battered by inflation and shortages, the real aftershock was the suddenness of it all. A president vanishes; borders grow even less certain, and the exodus, always steady, threatens to become a torrent.Perhaps the most telling moment came as Vance wrapped up his remarks, fielding, almost reflexively, the lingering questions about authority and responsibility. “My role?” He shrugged. “It’s whatever the president needs. So far, that’s meant being right in the thick of things—and I intend to keep it that way as long as I’m asked.”The world now watches and waits—some hopeful, many wary—as the dust settles over Venezuela’s capital and as regional alliances, tested and frayed, adjust in real time. For now, the true ramifications of Operation Absolute Resolve remain as hazy as the Caracas dawn, with more questions than answers hanging in the humid air.