Delta Force’s High-Stakes Mission: U.S. Captures Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro

Retired Air Force General Blaine Holt described the U.S. military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as one of the most complex missions U.S. forces can undertake, emphasizing intensive planning and precise execution.

In an interview, Holt stated that Delta Force, the Army’s elite special operations unit, carried out the mission. He noted that while operators did not rehearse the exact mission in advance, they conducted rapid, mission-specific rehearsals once ordered.

Holt added that the operation involved deliberate efforts to create confusion ahead of the raid, including strikes on Venezuelan command and control systems and attacks on key defense leaders. These actions paved the way for the successful takedown of Maduro and his wife, followed by their extraction from Venezuela.

According to Holt, the captives were transported offshore and moved onto the deck of the USS Iwo Jima, where they are currently being held. He highlighted the difficulty of synchronizing numerous moving parts, stating that the operation required flawless timing.

“The fact that we didn’t lose anybody—maybe a few injuries—is a testament to the professionalism of our forces,” Holt said, calling the mission “as hard as it possibly gets.”