Maduro and Cilia Flores Injured After Capture, U.S. Briefs Lawmakers on Operation Details
Updated (5 articles)
Overnight raid seizes Venezuela’s top leaders in Caracas U.S. special‑operations forces entered the presidential compound on the night of January 4, 2026, extracted President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, and air‑lifted them to the United States to face federal prosecution [1][2][3][4][5]. Delta Force operators led the assault, while roughly 200 U.S. personnel were reported on the ground during the operation [1]. The capture marked the first time a sitting Venezuelan president has been taken by a foreign military action.
Indictments allege narco‑terrorism and weapons conspiracies The Justice Department’s indictment names Flores, Maduro’s son Nicolás Maduro Guerra, and several regime associates for conspiring to traffic cocaine and procure weapons for use in Venezuela [2][3][4]. The charges are filed in a New York federal court and label the case a “narco‑terrorism” conspiracy, linking the alleged drug‑money flow to the Maduro administration’s survival strategy [2][5]. Both U.S. officials and Venezuelan opposition figures emphasize the legal significance of the indictment for the regime’s future.
Maduro and Flores appear in court with visible head wounds Courtroom sketches and reporters noted bandages on Flores’ head and Maduro’s difficulty standing, prompting Flores’ attorney to request an X‑ray and full physical evaluation for possible rib fracture or severe bruising [1]. The injuries were attributed to the pair striking a low steel door while fleeing the Delta Force operators [1]. Medical staff treated the wounds on arrival at the U.S. detention facility before the first hearing.
Casualties spark dispute over death tolls U.S. briefers reported several Delta Force operators sustained non‑life‑threatening bullet and shrapnel injuries during a heavy firefight with a Cuban quick‑reaction force stationed near the compound [1]. Cuba announced that 32 of its officers were killed, while U.S. officials cautioned that total Venezuelan and Cuban fatalities could be higher [1]. The conflicting figures underscore the battle’s intensity and the difficulty of verifying losses in real time.
U.S. frames capture as non‑regime‑change, eyes Delcy Rodríguez Senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, told lawmakers the operation aimed to bring Maduro and Flores to justice, not to topple the government [1]. They indicated contact with Deputy President Delcy Rodríguez and expect her to cooperate on transitional arrangements and U.S. oil‑industry access [1]. The administration also maintains a naval presence in the Caribbean as leverage while sanctions target Flores’ nephews and other regime allies [2][5].
Sources
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1.
CNN: Maduro and his wife injured while fleeing US forces; administration briefs lawmakers on capture and aftermath: Details the classified briefing to Congress, describing head injuries, Delta Force extraction, U.S. troop numbers, Cuban casualties, and the decision not to pursue regime change .
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BBC: Venezuela's First Lady Cilia Flores to face drug‑trafficking and weapons charges in New York after US raid: Focuses on Flores’ indictment, her political background, past family drug cases, and the broader sanctions campaign .
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WBNS: Maduro and wife captured in U.S. operation in Caracas, charged in narco‑terrorism case: Highlights the capture, the narco‑terrorism indictment, and Flores’ rise within the Chavista movement .
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King5: Cilia Flores and Nicolás Maduro captured in U.S. operation, facing federal charges: Reports the capture, indictment specifics, and Flores’ political milestones, emphasizing the “first combatant” title .
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CNN: Cilia Flores, Maduro’s wife and top adviser, captured with him and evacuated for US drug‑trafficking charges: Provides a narrative of the raid, Flores’ role as Maduro’s power center, and the history of her nephews’ DEA case and sanctions .
Timeline
2000 – Cilia Flores wins a seat in Venezuela’s National Assembly, marking her entry into high‑level politics and laying the groundwork for her future influence within the Chavista movement [3].
2006 – Flores becomes the first woman to preside over the National Assembly, cementing her status as a top legislative leader and later a key adviser to Nicolás Maduro [3][4].
2007 – A newly unsealed indictment alleges Flores accepts hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to arrange a meeting between a major drug trafficker and the director of Venezuela’s National Anti‑Drug Office [1].
2012‑2013 – Flores serves as Venezuela’s attorney general, further expanding her legal and political authority within the ruling United Socialist Party [4][5].
2013 – Nicolás Maduro wins the presidency; Flores adopts the self‑styled title “first combatant,” signaling her shift from ceremonial first lady to a powerful behind‑the‑scenes figure [4][5].
2015 – Two of Flores’s nephews are arrested in Haiti in a DEA sting for attempting to smuggle cocaine; they later receive 18‑year prison sentences in the United States [1][3].
2022 – The nephews are returned to Venezuela as part of a prisoner‑swap agreement, highlighting the regime’s ongoing ties to international drug networks [1].
Jan 3, 2026 – U.S. Delta Force operators launch an overnight raid in Caracas, drag Maduro and Flores from their bedroom, and evacuate them to the United States for prosecution [3].
Jan 4, 2026 – The Justice Department files a narco‑terrorism indictment, charging Flores and Maduro’s son Nicolás Maduro Guerra with drug‑trafficking and weapons conspiracies and scheduling their appearance in a New York federal court [1][4][5].
Jan 4, 2026 – The U.S. Treasury imposes fresh sanctions on Flores’s nephews and other regime associates, linking the measures to alleged criminal activity and reinforcing economic pressure on the Venezuelan leadership [1].
Jan 6, 2026 – In a classified briefing to lawmakers, officials report that Maduro and Flores hit their heads while fleeing; Flores’s attorney tells the judge she “sustained significant injuries” and requests an X‑ray and full medical evaluation [2].
Jan 6, 2026 – Administration officials describe the Caracas clash as a “raging gunfire battle,” note that Cuban forces claim 32 officers killed, and confirm roughly 200 U.S. personnel were on the ground with several Delta Force operators wounded [2].
Jan 6, 2026 – Senior officials repeatedly state the capture “is not intended as a regime‑change operation” and say they expect Deputy President Delcy Rodríguez to lead a pragmatic transition and cooperate on U.S. oil‑industry access [2].
Late 2026 (expected) – Flores and Maduro are slated to appear before a New York federal judge to face the narco‑terrorism and weapons charges, a pivotal legal showdown that could reshape Venezuela’s leadership landscape [1].