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U.S. intelligence agencies supported an overnight operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, the nation’s capital, which also included strikes against several military sites throughout the city.
Multiple U.S. spy offices stood up crisis action teams that provided intelligence to Special Operations Command and Southern Command throughout the operations, according to a U.S. official with knowledge of the matter.
The National Security Agency, which monitors foreign signals and communications, also oversaw geolocation support to gather intelligence used to aid in the operation, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to communicate sensitive details.
NSA also used its capabilities to conduct indicators and warning support, which monitors communications and signals that help specify if a foreign adversary orders troop movements or intends to activate radar systems, the official added.
Joint chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine said in a press conference that the CIA, NSA, and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency were involved in the mission. The NGA uses imagery and mapping data to support military activities.
In the months leading up to the operation, U.S. intelligence agencies built a granular portrait of Maduro’s daily life, tracking how he moved, where he lived and traveled, what he ate and wore, and even details about his pets, Caine said.
Multiple reports indicated the CIA aided the Army’s elite Delta Force in tracking and locating Maduro, though Defense One could not independently confirm this by publishing time. For months, the CIA has been conducting covert operations in Caracas, using assets that are among the U.S. intelligence community’s most protected secrets.
Lights in Caracas “were largely turned off due to an expertise that we have,” President Trump said at the Saturday press conference. He did not elaborate on the capabilities and methods that allowed the U.S. to shutter lights in Venezuela’s capital city.
U.S. Cyber Command, which is authorized to carry out offensive cyber operations, participated in the operation, Caine said, though he did not elaborate on what actions the digital combatant command took.
Maduro and his wife are now bound for New York, where he is expected to face narco-terrorism charges. President Donald Trump said the U.S. will run Venezuela for now, and will not rule out having additional U.S. servicemembers on the ground.
The operation drew opposing reactions from the top Republican and Democrat leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
“This is a U.S.-indicted drug trafficker. Such people will never have safe haven no matter where they are or what they call themselves,” said committee Chairman Tom Cotton, R-Ark. in a Saturday appearance on Fox & Friends. “It’s just a reminder to adversaries around the world of what our military is capable of when we have a commander-in-chief with the strength and resolution to deploy that military when necessary to defend vital US national interests,” he later added.
In a statement, Vice Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., said Maduro is a corrupt authoritarian leader, but the overnight action could give a runway to foreign adversaries who want to take similar actions against their neighbors.
“If the United States asserts the right to use military force to invade and capture foreign leaders it accuses of criminal conduct, what prevents China from claiming the same authority over Taiwan’s leadership?” Warner said. “What stops Vladimir Putin from asserting similar justification to abduct Ukraine’s president? Once this line is crossed, the rules that restrain global chaos begin to collapse, and authoritarian regimes will be the first to exploit it.”
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27 Comments
The use of offensive cyber operations by US Cyber Command in the operation against Maduro raises questions about the role of cyber warfare in modern conflict and its potential consequences.
The mention of Maduro’s expected narco-terrorism charges in New York highlights the legal and diplomatic aspects of the operation and its aftermath.
The use of crisis action teams by multiple US spy offices to provide intelligence to Special Operations Command and Southern Command demonstrates the level of coordination and planning that went into the operation.
The international community’s reaction to the operation will be closely watched, particularly in light of the controversial nature of Maduro’s regime and the implications for regional stability.
The fact that President Trump did not elaborate on the capabilities and methods used to shutter lights in Caracas suggests that there may be more to the story than what is currently being disclosed.
This lack of transparency could fuel speculation and conspiracy theories about the operation.
I’m curious about the specifics of the CIA’s covert operations in Caracas, particularly how they used assets to track and locate Maduro, as mentioned by Gen. Dan Caine.
The CIA’s ability to gather intel on Maduro’s daily life, including details about his pets, is a testament to their capabilities in conducting covert operations.
The operation’s impact on Venezuela’s political landscape and the potential for further instability in the region is a concern that needs to be addressed by the international community.
The detail about the US being able to shutter lights in Caracas due to an unspecified ‘expertise’ raises questions about the nature of this capability and its potential applications in future operations.
The involvement of the National Security Agency in providing geolocation support to aid in the operation against Maduro is a significant detail, as it highlights the extent of US intelligence agencies’ capabilities in tracking foreign adversaries.
The mention of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s role in using imagery and mapping data to support military activities underscores the importance of geospatial intelligence in modern warfare.
The operation’s success, despite the lack of detailed information on the specifics of the mission, is a testament to the capabilities of US military and intelligence agencies.
The contrast between the reactions of Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton and other Democrat leaders highlights the partisan divide on issues of national security and military intervention.
It’s not surprising, given the historical context of US-Venezuela relations and the controversial nature of Maduro’s regime.
President Trump’s statement that the US will run Venezuela for now and may have additional servicemembers on the ground is concerning, as it implies a significant level of involvement in the country’s affairs.
Gen. Dan Caine’s statement that the CIA, NSA, and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency were involved in the mission provides insight into the level of interagency cooperation and coordination in the operation.
This level of cooperation is crucial in ensuring the success of such complex operations.
The role of the NSA in monitoring foreign signals and communications, as well as its indicators and warning support, was crucial in providing real-time intelligence for the operation.
The potential for additional US servicemembers to be deployed to Venezuela, as mentioned by President Trump, could escalate the situation and lead to further conflict.
The months-long effort by US intelligence agencies to build a ‘granular portrait’ of Maduro’s daily life is a remarkable example of the resources and effort dedicated to tracking high-value targets.
The fact that US Cyber Command participated in the operation, although the specifics of their actions are unclear, raises questions about the role of cyber warfare in modern military operations.
The level of detail gathered by US intelligence agencies on Maduro’s personal life, including what he ate and wore, demonstrates the depth of their surveillance capabilities.
This level of surveillance raises questions about privacy and the limits of intelligence gathering.
The participation of the Army’s elite Delta Force in tracking and locating Maduro, as reported, highlights the role of special operations forces in conducting high-risk missions.
The fact that Maduro and his wife are now bound for New York to face narco-terrorism charges raises questions about the legal implications of the operation and the treatment of foreign leaders as criminal suspects.
The operation against Maduro is a significant development in US-Venezuela relations and has implications for regional stability and global politics.