Overview
- U.S. forces seized Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores on January 3 in an operation reported as “Resolución Absoluta” that combined CIA infiltration, more than 150 aircraft and drones, and cyber actions to blind defenses in Caracas.
- Trump told the New York Post the so‑called “Discombobulator” caused Venezuelan systems to fail, saying Russian- and Chinese-made missiles never fired, while declining to provide technical details.
- Technical specifics remain unconfirmed, with analysts suggesting possibilities ranging from localized electromagnetic pulse and high‑power microwave to other energy‑directed or acoustic means.
- Accounts attributed to members of Maduro’s security detail describe sudden radar shutdowns and acute symptoms such as nosebleeds, vomiting, and collapse during the assault, reports that have not been independently verified.
- Venezuela’s Interior Ministry alleges at least 100 deaths and Russia and China demand Maduro’s release, as Trump also talks up potential ground operations against cartels and a U.S.-brokered plan to market up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil.