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Why Russia Abandoned Venezuela During Maduro's Capture
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Why Russia Abandoned Venezuela During Maduro's Capture

Discover how US forces executed a four-hour raid to capture Nicolas Maduro in Caracas and why global allies like Russia and China failed to intervene.

Simon Whistler
S
Simon Whistler

The year 2026 is off to a crazy hot start, and nobody knows it better than Nicolas Maduro. Just a short few days ago, Maduro was a dictator ruling over a sovereign nation, backed up by powerful international backers in Russia, China, Cuba, and Iran, and protected by tens of thousands of loyal soldiers in his presidential palace in Caracas. Today, Maduro was arraigned in a Manhattan court, in United States custody after one of the most stunning smash-and-grab military operations in modern history. The dust is still settling across Venezuela, with a new president nominally in charge, and United States President Donald Trump making clear that the world’s most oil-rich country is under new management. Observers are left wondering how the United States managed to sweep into a well-armed, internationally supported capital city, and snatch a dictator and his wife out of bed within mere hours. There are major questions surrounding how the United States managed to be so precise, why they whisked away Maduro but declined to deal with the rest of his inner circle, and where things are headed now. Furthermore, the conspicuous absence of Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and leaders in Tehran, Havana, and Pyongyang highlights a massive geopolitical shift. The rapid pace of these events has left the international community scrambling to comprehend the chaos and consequences in Venezuela.

Key Takeaways

  • The CIA spent months mapping Nicolas Maduro’s daily routines, even constructing an exact replica of his safe house to prepare for the abduction.
  • Operation Absolute Resolve utilized over 150 American aircraft, including F-22s, F-35s, and B-1 bombers, to neutralize Venezuelan air defenses in under four hours.
  • Delta Force operators and the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team secured Maduro without any American casualties, extracting him to the USS Iwo Jima.
  • Rather than dismantling the entire regime, the United States allowed Vice President Delcy Rodriguez and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino to remain in power.
  • President Donald Trump rejected installing opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, opting instead for pragmatic stability and avoiding a potential backlash from Venezuela’s military.
  • Russia and China failed to intervene due to logistical constraints and geopolitical priorities, highlighting their inability to project military power into the Southern Caribbean.

The Anatomy of a Four-Hour Smash-and-Grab

For months, it has been obvious that something was going to happen in Venezuela, quite possibly involving American boots on the ground. But even among the most bullish of global conflict analysts, practically nobody anticipated that it would be this quick, or this easy for American forces, once Washington chose to act. It is imperative to be very clear about the scale of this achievement. Even in a world that has seen some stunning feats of military intelligence recently, like Israel’s pager attacks against Hezbollah or Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb across Russia, this operation to take out Maduro was on another level. Applaud Washington’s actions or condemn them, but America’s military achievement is undeniable. In a combined aircraft, helicopter, missile, and special-operations ground assault, the United States nullified Venezuela’s defenses, abducted the nation’s leader and his wife, and got out within just four hours. There was no urban battle, no military occupation, no coordinated response from Venezuelan forces, and all of this was achieved with zero loss of American life. The obvious first question is to ask how the United States pulled this off. According to outlets with sources all up and down America’s political and military leadership, this operation was months in the making, constantly rehearsed, and drew upon excellent real-time intelligence. According to Reuters, America’s premier foreign-intelligence service, the CIA, had a team on the ground in close proximity to Maduro for months. They were monitoring his daily movements, creating an exact replica of Maduro’s safe house, and establishing such a clear understanding of his daily life and patterns that they could essentially choose when to snatch him. The special operators who took the lead in the operation, America’s hyper-elite Delta Force, were able to practice the operation with high precision before it took place. According to United States leaders, the mission, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, was supposed to take place days before it did, but was delayed initially due to imperfect weather conditions.

Operation Absolute Resolve and the Aerial Assault

The operation itself leveraged over 150 American aircraft, launched from twenty bases across the Western Hemisphere, according to the Chairman of America’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine. Those aircraft included stealthy F-22 and F-35 fighter jets, the electronic-jamming EA-18 Growler, the B-1 supersonic bomber, aerial refuelers, command-and-control planes, other fighter aircraft, and surveillance drones, including at least one copy of the secretive and rarely seen RQ-170. During the attack, stealth fighters focused on picking off Venezuelan air defenses, before the B-1s and F/A-18 Super Hornets charged through the gaps they had created. These aircraft hit bases, strategic surveillance sites, and other essential points to neutralize the Venezuelan defense. At the same time, using undisclosed capabilities that President Trump referred to as a certain expertise that the military possesses, most of Caracas was plunged into darkness, with other military capabilities seemingly rendered ineffective from afar. Closer to the ground, the Delta Force raid relied on a convoy of military helicopters, including fast-attack Apaches and Vipers, troop-transport Black Hawks, and heavy-lift Chinooks, capable of carrying dozens of operators per chopper. Flying low over the city, and relying on pilots and support from the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment—better known as the Night Stalkers—the convoy took fire. They sustained non-lethal damage to one helicopter, but successfully inserted United States forces at Maduro’s compound. Once on the ground, Delta Force and accompanying operators from the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team made their way through the carefully rehearsed breaching plan they had laid out. Venezuelan authorities are now stating that a large proportion of Maduro’s personal guard were killed in the process. Once inside, United States forces made contact with Maduro and established control quickly enough that he was unable to access a safe room. Instead, he was quickly spirited away to an amphibious landing ship, the USS Iwo Jima. The lightning assault begs another question regarding how the United States managed to be so precise, preventing things from going sideways at any of the countless possible points of failure. United States intelligence went a very long way in making the operation possible, not just as it related to Maduro’s compound and his daily habits, but the locations of Venezuelan defensive capabilities. The expertise alluded to by officials, granting the United States the ability to take most of Caracas offline, demonstrated a profound capability to essentially switch off many of Venezuela’s defensive systems and its broader infrastructure. Venezuelan forces did offer a measure of resistance, but nowhere near what they should have been able to achieve on paper, given the presence of various kinds of Russian-made air defense systems in the country.

A Calculated Succession and the Fate of the Inner Circle

As the dust settles, analysts must also account for the possibility that the United States may have had more help on the inside than Maduro had initially bargained for. This brings up another critical question: why did the United States not take out the rest of Maduro’s inner circle? The line of succession for Venezuela’s regime is clear. Maduro’s Vice President was a woman named Delcy Rodriguez, who not only avoided any United States attention during the operation, but has now been placed into the role of Acting President with the help of Venezuela’s Supreme Court, which also survived the raid. Venezuela’s Defense Minister, General Vladimir Padrino, emerged scot-free, which is evident partly because he has been very active on television across Venezuela in the aftermath. The rest of Maduro’s inner circle, whether politicians or the national elite, largely seem to be intact and secure. According to the New York Times, United States officials had already decided that Delcy Rodriguez was a perfectly acceptable replacement for Maduro, largely because of her management of Venezuela’s oil industry. As one unnamed, senior official noted, authorities had been watching her career for a long time, gaining a sense of who she is and what she is about. America’s endorsement of Rodriguez and its decision to avoid fully decapitating Venezuela’s leadership suggests that several high-level officials were either comfortable with Maduro being removed, or possibly even helped to facilitate his capture. Questions also surround Venezuela’s main opposition figures, notably recent Nobel Peace Prize recipient Maria Corina Machado and her deputy. They would have rightfully claimed the mantle of president in a recent election that the opposition claimed Maduro had rigged in his own favor. Machado and her allies actively courted Trump for months, even dedicating her Nobel Peace Prize to him and endorsing his previous political claims. However, Trump appears to have turned his back on Machado, claiming over the weekend that she did not have the necessary respect in Venezuela in order to govern. In some ways, the pragmatic decision makes strategic sense. Although many millions of Venezuelans backed the decision to oust Maduro according to recent polling, that does not mean that the public would accept a former opposition leader unilaterally installed through American gunboat diplomacy. Furthermore, a large portion of Venezuela’s military is thought to remain loyal to the former regime, meaning that if Machado had simply been ushered into power immediately, her life probably would have been in rather acute danger. Maduro’s former Vice President is much less likely to face that problem, even though she was part of a regime that America had routinely described as illegitimate. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that future judgments will not be based simply on statements made in press conferences, noting that individuals often say specific things on television when the person who used to be in charge of their regime is suddenly in handcuffs.

Strategic Oil Positioning and the Multipolar Reality

The decision to clear the way for Delcy Rodriguez, instead of Machado, brings up a broader inquiry. Is Washington going to try to elevate an elected Venezuelan leader to the presidency as quickly as possible, or has it selected a friendly-enough alternative that it now intends to keep in place for the foreseeable future? Closely related is the question of who is genuinely in charge of Venezuela today. Donald Trump gave at least some indicator of the answer, stating over the weekend that the United States would effectively run Venezuela for the next little while as part of an unspecified group. Trump explained that the United States was not afraid of boots on the ground and would fix Venezuelan oil infrastructure to get the oil flowing. Conversely, Marco Rubio refuted that claim, stating that America would continue to enforce its oil quarantine and use it as leverage to force internal changes, but would not govern Venezuela directly. During an interview with the New York Post, Trump seemed to double down on his own claims, specifically regarding the new president, warning that if Rodriguez does not do what is right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro. He also stated that if Rodriguez complies with American interests, the United States will not need to station troops in the country. Given the intense focus on Venezuelan oil from various officials, the economic stakes are incredibly high. Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves of any nation on Earth, at over three hundred billion barrels. However, Venezuelan heavy crude requires specialized processing and refining in order to be usable. Not many countries have the facilities to process it, but the United States absolutely does, possessing six specialized facilities on the American Gulf Coast, just about two thousand miles away. There is also a major strategic element to account for regarding China, which is the largest recipient of Venezuelan oil exports, accounting for roughly eighty percent of what Venezuela sends out. Even though that oil makes up a fairly small portion of Chinese consumption, the United States is still going to benefit by taking that oil out of Beijing’s reach. American companies like Chevron are already operating in Venezuela and are poised to invest massively in rehabilitating oil infrastructure under the control of a friendly regime. This naturally leads to the question of why Russia, China, or any of Venezuela’s other adversaries failed to intervene. Russia did try to help Maduro, but what they were able to offer turned out to be badly insufficient. Russia has supplied Venezuela with most of its meaningful air defense systems and fighter-jet-launched missiles, but those defenses either underperformed, were suppressed and destroyed by American aircraft, or were neutralized behind the scenes. Russia’s fighting forces are committed almost completely in Ukraine, and it lacks the capability to send spare forces halfway around the world quickly. Once the United States decided to move against Caracas, the most that Moscow could do was to issue condemnations from the sidelines. As for Venezuela’s other allies, each of them had their own reasons not to come to Maduro’s defense. While China opposes military action by the United States and urged Washington to stop toppling the government, its oil interests simply do not justify the costs of a direct intervention. Cuba provided bodyguards and intelligence contacts, but its actual military is badly outdated and poses no threat to the United States. Iran, meanwhile, has more than enough domestic and regional problems of its own. This situation perfectly illustrates the modern multipolar global order. Under the new set of rules that increasingly govern power and geopolitics across the globe, powerful nations are gaining increased latitude to take unchallenged, sometimes violent action in the countries that are within their sphere of influence. Venezuela was firmly within America’s sphere of influence, rendering Russian and Chinese influence ineffective. The downfall of Nicolas Maduro is not just a turning point for Venezuela; it is a turning point for Latin America, and for the entire world, signaling a stark new reality where a nation’s leadership can be changed by force without its long-time allies being able to intervene.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Russia have to do with Venezuela?

For more than two decades, Russia enjoyed strong relations with Venezuela, but ultimately did nothing to stop Nicolas Maduro’s capture, as Russia lacked the capability to militarily confront the US. Russia’s inaction was not due to a preference for US action, but rather a result of its own military limitations. This decision had significant implications for Venezuela, as it allowed the US to carry out a successful operation to capture Maduro. The outcome of this operation has led to a new president being nominally in charge of Venezuela, with US President Donald Trump stating that the country is under new management. Russia’s relationship with Venezuela has been a key aspect of its foreign policy in the region, but its inability to protect its ally has raised questions about its influence and capabilities.

How is CIA different from FBI?

The CIA is a US government agency that provides objective intelligence on foreign countries and global issues to the president, the National Security Council, and other senior policymakers, whereas the FBI is a domestic law enforcement agency. The CIA is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, tasked with gathering, analyzing, and disseminating foreign intelligence to support national security decisions. In contrast, the FBI focuses on domestic law enforcement and counterintelligence. The CIA’s role was highlighted in the operation to capture Nicolas Maduro, where it had a team on the ground in close proximity to Maduro for months, monitoring his daily movements and creating an exact replica of his safe house.

How did Ukraine pull off Operation Spiderweb?

On 1 June 2025, Ukraine pulled off Operation Spiderweb, a covert drone attack carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) deep inside Russia. This operation was considered one of the boldest and most technologically advanced operations of the war, demonstrating Ukraine’s capabilities in unconventional warfare. The success of Operation Spiderweb has been seen as a significant achievement for Ukraine, and its implications are still being felt in the ongoing conflict. The operation was a testament to Ukraine’s ability to plan and execute complex military operations, and it has raised questions about the vulnerability of Russian defenses to drone attacks.

How much damage did Operation Spiderweb do to Russia?

The exact extent of the damage caused by Operation Spiderweb to Russia is not publicly known, but it is considered a significant blow to Russia’s military capabilities and a demonstration of Ukraine’s technological advancements. The operation was a covert drone attack carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) deep inside Russia on 1 June 2025, and its impact is still being assessed. The success of the operation has raised concerns about the potential for future drone attacks on Russian territory, and it has highlighted the need for Russia to improve its defenses against unconventional threats. The outcome of Operation Spiderweb has significant implications for the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, and it is likely to be studied by military strategists and analysts for years to come.

How many times has Russia invaded Ukraine in the past?

The exact number of times Russia has invaded Ukraine in the past is not specified, but it is known that Russia has been involved in a conflict with Ukraine since 2014, with periods of escalation and de-escalation. The conflict began with Russia’s annexation of Crimea in March 2014, and it has continued with ongoing fighting in eastern Ukraine between Ukrainian government forces and Russian-backed separatists. The conflict has resulted in significant humanitarian and economic costs, and it has raised concerns about regional stability and security. The ongoing conflict has also led to a significant increase in tensions between Russia and the international community, with many countries imposing sanctions on Russia in response to its actions in Ukraine.

What caused Venezuela’s collapse?

Venezuela’s collapse was the result of a combination of factors, including economic mismanagement, corruption, and political instability. The country’s economy had been in decline for many years, with high inflation, shortages of food and medicine, and a significant decline in oil production. The political situation in Venezuela had also become increasingly unstable, with President Nicolas Maduro’s government facing widespread opposition and criticism. The US operation to capture Maduro was the final blow to the Venezuelan government, leading to a new president being nominally in charge of the country. The collapse of Venezuela has had significant regional and global implications, with many countries expressing concern about the humanitarian and economic consequences of the crisis.

Which country is Russia’s best friend?

Russia’s best friend is not explicitly stated, but it is known that Russia has strong relations with several countries, including China, Cuba, and Iran. These countries have provided significant economic and political support to Russia, and they have cooperated with Russia on a range of international issues. However, it is worth noting that Russia’s relationships with these countries are complex and multifaceted, and they are influenced by a range of factors, including economic interests, political ideology, and strategic considerations. The nature of Russia’s relationships with its allies has significant implications for international relations and global security, and it is an important area of study for scholars and analysts.

Who is Venezuela’s biggest trading partner?

Venezuela’s biggest trading partner is not explicitly stated, but it is known that the country has significant trade relationships with several countries, including the US, China, and Russia. The US has historically been one of Venezuela’s largest trading partners, with the country relying heavily on oil exports to the US. However, in recent years, Venezuela has sought to diversify its trade relationships and reduce its dependence on the US. China has become an increasingly important trading partner for Venezuela, providing significant economic support and investment to the country. The nature of Venezuela’s trade relationships has significant implications for its economy and its relationships with other countries, and it is an important area of study for scholars and analysts.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to your most pressing questions about Astro.

For more than two decades, Russia enjoyed strong relations with Venezuela, but ultimately did nothing to stop Nicolas Maduro's capture, as Russia lacked the capability to militarily confront the US. Russia's inaction was not due to a preference for US action, but rather a result of its own military limitations. This decision had significant implications for Venezuela, as it allowed the US to carry out a successful operation to capture Maduro. The outcome of this operation has led to a new president being nominally in charge of Venezuela, with US President Donald Trump stating that the country is under new management. Russia's relationship with Venezuela has been a key aspect of its foreign policy in the region, but its inability to protect its ally has raised questions about its influence and capabilities.
The CIA is a US government agency that provides objective intelligence on foreign countries and global issues to the president, the National Security Council, and other senior policymakers, whereas the FBI is a domestic law enforcement agency. The CIA is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, tasked with gathering, analyzing, and disseminating foreign intelligence to support national security decisions. In contrast, the FBI focuses on domestic law enforcement and counterintelligence. The CIA's role was highlighted in the operation to capture Nicolas Maduro, where it had a team on the ground in close proximity to Maduro for months, monitoring his daily movements and creating an exact replica of his safe house.
On 1 June 2025, Ukraine pulled off Operation Spiderweb, a covert drone attack carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) deep inside Russia. This operation was considered one of the boldest and most technologically advanced operations of the war, demonstrating Ukraine's capabilities in unconventional warfare. The success of Operation Spiderweb has been seen as a significant achievement for Ukraine, and its implications are still being felt in the ongoing conflict. The operation was a testament to Ukraine's ability to plan and execute complex military operations, and it has raised questions about the vulnerability of Russian defenses to drone attacks.
The exact extent of the damage caused by Operation Spiderweb to Russia is not publicly known, but it is considered a significant blow to Russia's military capabilities and a demonstration of Ukraine's technological advancements. The operation was a covert drone attack carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) deep inside Russia on 1 June 2025, and its impact is still being assessed. The success of the operation has raised concerns about the potential for future drone attacks on Russian territory, and it has highlighted the need for Russia to improve its defenses against unconventional threats. The outcome of Operation Spiderweb has significant implications for the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, and it is likely to be studied by military strategists and analysts for years to come.
The exact number of times Russia has invaded Ukraine in the past is not specified, but it is known that Russia has been involved in a conflict with Ukraine since 2014, with periods of escalation and de-escalation. The conflict began with Russia's annexation of Crimea in March 2014, and it has continued with ongoing fighting in eastern Ukraine between Ukrainian government forces and Russian-backed separatists. The conflict has resulted in significant humanitarian and economic costs, and it has raised concerns about regional stability and security. The ongoing conflict has also led to a significant increase in tensions between Russia and the international community, with many countries imposing sanctions on Russia in response to its actions in Ukraine.
Venezuela's collapse was the result of a combination of factors, including economic mismanagement, corruption, and political instability. The country's economy had been in decline for many years, with high inflation, shortages of food and medicine, and a significant decline in oil production. The political situation in Venezuela had also become increasingly unstable, with President Nicolas Maduro's government facing widespread opposition and criticism. The US operation to capture Maduro was the final blow to the Venezuelan government, leading to a new president being nominally in charge of the country. The collapse of Venezuela has had significant regional and global implications, with many countries expressing concern about the humanitarian and economic consequences of the crisis.
Russia's best friend is not explicitly stated, but it is known that Russia has strong relations with several countries, including China, Cuba, and Iran. These countries have provided significant economic and political support to Russia, and they have cooperated with Russia on a range of international issues. However, it is worth noting that Russia's relationships with these countries are complex and multifaceted, and they are influenced by a range of factors, including economic interests, political ideology, and strategic considerations. The nature of Russia's relationships with its allies has significant implications for international relations and global security, and it is an important area of study for scholars and analysts.
Venezuela's biggest trading partner is not explicitly stated, but it is known that the country has significant trade relationships with several countries, including the US, China, and Russia. The US has historically been one of Venezuela's largest trading partners, with the country relying heavily on oil exports to the US. However, in recent years, Venezuela has sought to diversify its trade relationships and reduce its dependence on the US. China has become an increasingly important trading partner for Venezuela, providing significant economic support and investment to the country. The nature of Venezuela's trade relationships has significant implications for its economy and its relationships with other countries, and it is an important area of study for scholars and analysts.