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Operation Absolute Resolve: U.S. Military Capture of Maduro and the Strategic Doctrine of Regime Change

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by

Peter Chofield
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What does the U.S. military capture of a sitting hemisphere leader mean for American foreign policy, international law, and future military intervention doctrine?

On January 3-4, 2026, the United States executed Operation Absolute Resolve—a large-scale military strike on Venezuelan soil that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Using Delta Force operatives, RQ-170 stealth reconnaissance drones, F-35 fighter jets, and precision strikes on air defense systems, the operation represents an extraordinary shift in Trump’s “America First” vision: from defensive posture to direct regime change in the Western Hemisphere.

The strike destroyed Venezuela’s air defense infrastructure, neutralized military assets, and secured the Venezuelan president with minimal reported U.S. casualties. However, the operation has triggered international condemnation from France, China, and others questioning its legality under international law—raising critical questions about the precedent being set for U.S. military power projection in the region.

The Military Operation: Scope and Assets

Operation Absolute Resolve unfolded early Saturday morning with coordinated strikes across Venezuelan military infrastructure. The U.S. military deployed multiple asset classes in a precision campaign targeting air bases, port facilities, air defense systems, and government facilities in Caracas.

Air Strikes and Asset Destruction

U.S. Marine Corps F-35 fighter jets conducted precision strikes on Venezuelan Air Force aircraft and air bases, destroying operational aircraft on the ground. These strikes neutralized Venezuela’s air combat capability, preventing any airborne defense response during the operation.

At La Carlota military air base and Caracas base, U.S. forces destroyed a Russian-supplied Buk-M2E air defense system—a medium-range surface-to-air missile platform capable of engaging aircraft at altitudes up to 25,000 meters. This system represented Venezuela’s primary air defense asset, making its destruction operationally critical for the strike’s success.

Surveillance and Reconnaissance

A rare RQ-170 “Sentinel” stealth reconnaissance drone supported the operation, conducting surveillance and intelligence gathering. The RQ-170—an unmanned aerial vehicle known for its advanced stealth profile and long-range reconnaissance capability—operated undetected over Venezuelan airspace, providing targeting data and battle damage assessment throughout the operation.

Ground Operations and Capture

U.S. Delta Force operatives conducted a direct action raid on the presidential compound, breaching the secure location and capturing Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. President Trump stated that several U.S. personnel were injured and a helicopter was “hit pretty hard” during the operation, but he believed no American personnel were killed.

Strategic Implications: Power Projection and Western Hemisphere Dominance

The capture of Maduro signals a fundamental recalibration of how the Trump administration will exercise U.S. military power in the Western Hemisphere. Unlike past interventions justified by counter-terrorism or humanitarian concerns, this operation represents direct regime change targeting a sitting head of state.

American Hegemony and Regional Control

Trump stated the U.S. will “run” Venezuela “until a safe and proper and judicious transition” occurs, and pledged to “fix oil infrastructure.” This language reveals intent not merely to remove a leader, but to establish direct U.S. administrative control over a sovereign state’s governance and economic assets. For a Western Hemisphere struggling with competing interests from China and Russia, this represents a reassertion of American dominance.

Venezuela’s oil reserves—the largest proven reserves in the world—have strategic value to U.S. energy independence and global leverage. Securing Maduro removes an anti-American regime and positions the U.S. to influence Venezuelan petroleum production and trade relationships.

Operational Reliability and Doctrine

The operation succeeded with minimal confirmed U.S. losses despite Venezuelan air defenses and potential resistance. This success reinforces confidence in U.S. special operations capabilities, precision strike accuracy, and intelligence coordination against non-peer military forces. Future operations may follow this playbook: intelligence-led targeting, air superiority establishment through strike packages, and rapid special operations insertion for high-value objectives.

Challenge to International Law

France’s government immediately condemned the operation as violating international law—specifically the prohibition on military intervention in sovereign states’ internal affairs. China issued similar condemnations. These responses highlight a widening gap between U.S. military doctrine and international legal norms, particularly for developing nations lacking military parity with the United States.

How the Operation Achieved Success

Intelligence and Pre-Strike Planning

Operation Absolute Resolve relied on precise intelligence about Venezuelan military capabilities, Maduro’s location and movement patterns, and the layout of secure facilities. This intelligence enabled planners to identify the Buk-M2E air defense system locations, Venezuelan aircraft positions, and the presidential compound’s defense arrangements. RQ-170 surveillance missions likely provided updated target coordinates and real-time battle damage assessment.

Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD)

The destruction of the Buk-M2E system was operationally decisive. Once Venezuelan air defense capability was neutralized, F-35s operated with reduced risk, and transport assets carrying Delta Force operatives could approach the landing zone with lower threat exposure. This sequence—eliminating air defenses first—is standard doctrine for operations against defended targets.

Coordination Across Military Branches

The operation integrated Air Force ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance), Marine Corps air strike capability, and Army Special Operations (Delta Force). Coordination required real-time communication, precision timing, and mutual support—all managed by a unified command structure directing the operation’s phases.

Speed and Overwhelming Force

The strike’s speed prevented Venezuelan military mobilization or organized defense. Once air bases were struck and the air defense system destroyed, Venezuelan forces had no integrated command-and-control capability or air assets to respond. Delta Force operatives secured the objective before Venezuelan security forces could coordinate a defense or allow the president to escape.

Context: The Path to Intervention

Maduro had governed Venezuela since 2013, overseeing democratic deterioration, economic collapse, and humanitarian crisis. Under his rule, Venezuela’s oil-dependent economy contracted by over 80 percent from 2012 to 2020. Political opposition was systematically suppressed, and millions fled the country as refugees.

The Trump administration had labeled Maduro’s regime a threat to regional stability. Previous sanctions and diplomatic pressure had failed to remove him. As Trump returned to office in 2025, his rhetoric shifted from containment to direct action, framing Venezuela as a strategic liability within the U.S. sphere of influence.

France, which opposed the operation, holds diplomatic ties with Venezuela and has historically opposed unilateral military intervention. China, similarly critical, views Venezuela as a strategic Latin American partner and oil supplier. Both nations’ opposition signals a potential wider geopolitical divide over the legitimacy of unilateral military regime change.

Sources and Further Reading

Key reporting on Operation Absolute Resolve and the Venezuela intervention:

France and China’s legal challenges to the operation underscore ongoing international debate over unilateral military intervention and the legitimacy of regime change operations against UN member states.