Trump’s decisive military operation successfully captured narcoterrorist Nicolás Maduro, but Cuban forces paid a heavy price defending the Venezuelan dictator with 32 of their military personnel killed in the raid.
Story Highlights
- Operation Absolute Resolve successfully captured Venezuelan dictator Maduro and his wife on January 3, 2026
- Cuban military and intelligence officers died defending the socialist regime, exposing foreign interference
- Trump acted decisively using Article II powers after Maduro rejected exile and continued defying America
- Delta Force, CIA, and FBI executed the complex raid to bring the indicted narcoterrorist to justice
Trump Delivers on Promise to Arrest Narcoterrorist
President Trump ordered Operation Absolute Resolve after Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro rejected a final offer for exile in Turkey and continued his defiant provocations against America.
The January 3, 2026 operation involved over 150 U.S. aircraft conducting airstrikes across northern Venezuela while Delta Force, supported by CIA and FBI Hostage Rescue Team, successfully captured Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores in Caracas.
This decisive action fulfilled Trump’s commitment to hold accountable those who threaten American interests and traffic narcotics.
#UPDATE 32 Cuban nationals were killed during the US attack on Caracas that culminated in the capture of Venezuela's president Nicolas Maduro, the government in Havana said Sunday.
The deceased were members of Cuba's Revolutionary Armed Forces or the Ministry of the Interior who… pic.twitter.com/MWBU9TEbmB
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) January 5, 2026
Cuban Military Deaths Expose Socialist Alliance
Cuban officials reported that 32 of their military and intelligence personnel were killed defending Maduro’s regime during the U.S. operation, revealing the extent of communist Cuba’s military involvement in Venezuela.
The casualties occurred when American forces targeted key military installations including La Carlota Air Base and Fort Tiuna, where Cuban advisors have been stationed since 2005 under the socialist alliance.
This foreign military presence in Venezuela validates concerns about Cuba’s destabilizing influence throughout Latin America and their support for narcoterrorism networks.
Legal Justice After Years of Criminal Activity
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced new indictments against Maduro in the Southern District of New York, superseding the original 2020 narcoterrorism charges that the Biden administration failed to act upon.
Vice President JD Vance emphasized that America simply arrested a “wanted fugitive” who had been evading justice for years while trafficking drugs and stealing Venezuelan oil resources.
House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain correctly labeled Maduro a “narcoterrorist,” highlighting the criminal nature of his regime that threatened American communities through drug trafficking operations.
Constitutional Authority Upholds American Sovereignty
Republican Senator Mike Lee defended Trump’s use of Article II executive powers, noting the president’s constitutional authority to protect American interests without requiring congressional approval for this type of law enforcement operation.
The successful mission demonstrates how strong leadership can achieve results when America stops appeasing dictators and takes decisive action.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated no further military action is anticipated, suggesting the operation achieved its primary objectives of removing a dangerous criminal from power and disrupting narcotrafficking networks like Tren de Aragua.
