America’s highest-ranking military officer delivered a minute-by-minute account of the massive U.S. operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in the early hours of Saturday, revealing a weeks-long buildup involving 150 aircraft positioned across the Western Hemisphere.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. John Daniel “Raizin” Cane described the operation as the culmination of months of intelligence work, surveillance, and strategic patience.
Speaking alongside President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, Cane said planning began in August 2025 after U.S. intelligence agencies began tracking Maduro’s movements, habits, and security routines.
According to Cane, U.S. forces waited weeks for the precise moment that would maximize surprise while minimizing civilian harm.
That moment arrived late Friday night. At 10:46 p.m. Eastern Time, Trump gave the final authorization for the mission.
Cane said the order was transmitted across the joint force with Trump’s message: “Good luck and God speed.”
Within minutes, aircraft launched from roughly 20 bases throughout the region.
The force included fighters, bombers, intelligence aircraft, helicopters, and drones.
Cane said the air package featured F-22s, F-35s, F-18s, EA-18 electronic warfare aircraft, B-1 and B-2 bombers, and surveillance platforms providing constant overwatch.
Army Delta Force helicopters flew as low as 100 feet above the Atlantic Ocean to avoid detection as they approached the Venezuelan coast.
As the aircraft neared Caracas, U.S. cyber and space-based assets were activated to disrupt communications and create a clear pathway for the assault force.
Cane said U.S. aircraft encountered anti-aircraft fire near the capital, but threats were quickly neutralized, per the Daily Mail.
Despite the heavy defenses surrounding the compound where Maduro was hiding, the general said the element of surprise was fully maintained.
Delta Force troops reached the compound at approximately 1:01 a.m. Eastern Time. The apprehension team isolated the area and moved rapidly toward their objective. Cane said the operation was executed with speed, discipline, and precision.
One U.S. aircraft was struck by gunfire but remained airborne. No U.S. personnel were killed during the mission.
Cane confirmed that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, surrendered and were taken into custody by the Department of Justice with military assistance. They were transported by helicopter to the USS Iwo Jima, landing aboard the ship at 3:29 a.m. Eastern Time.
President Trump later added that Maduro attempted to flee into a reinforced panic room but failed to secure the door. Trump said the outcome would not have changed even if the door had closed.
The operation was monitored live from a temporary situation room at Mar-a-Lago by Trump, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Trump said the U.S. will oversee Venezuela temporarily to ensure a stable transition, arguing the country’s oil wealth can help fund its recovery. Celebrations erupted among Venezuelans abroad, while residents in Caracas were seen lining up for food amid uncertainty about what comes next.
