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Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine provided details Saturday on how the U.S. military and various intelligence agencies worked together to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, revealing that more than 150 aircraft were launched in close coordination in a mission called "Operation Absolute Resolve."
Caine said the operation began "during the darkest hours of January 2nd and was the culmination of months of planning and rehearsal," and one that "only the United States military could undertake."
"It required the utmost of precision and integration within our joint force, and the word integration does not explain the sheer complexity of such a mission, an extraction so precise it involved more than 150 aircraft launching across the Western Hemisphere in close coordination, all coming together in time and place to layer effects for a single purpose, to get an interdiction force into downtown Caracas while maintaining the element of tactical surprise," Caine said while appearing Saturday alongside President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
"Last night, the weather broke just enough, clearing a path that only the most skilled aviators in the world could maneuver through - ocean, mountain, low clouds, ceilings. But when tasked with a mission, this organization does not quit. At 10:46 p.m. Eastern Time last night, the president ordered the United States military to move forward with this mission. He said to us, and we appreciate it, Mr. President, 'Good luck and Godspeed," Caine said.
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"And those words were transmitted to the entire joint force. Over the course of the night, aircraft began launching from 20 different bases on land and sea across the Western Hemisphere," Caine added, noting that, "Our youngest crew member was 20 and our oldest crew member was 49."
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the intelligence agencies, including the CIA, National Secruity Agency (NSA) and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) assisted in the effort.
"As the night began, the helicopters took off with the extraction force, which included law enforcement officers, and began their flight into Venezuela at 100 feet above the water," Caine said. "As they approached Venezuelan shores, the United States began layering different effects provided by Spacecom, Cybercom and other members of the interagency to create a pathway."
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"Overhead, those forces were protected by aircraft from the United States Marines, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force, and the Air National Guard. The force included F-22s, F-35s, F-18s, EA-18s, E-2s, B-1 bombers, and other support aircraft, as well as numerous remotely piloted drones," he continued.
"As the force began to approach Caracas, the joint air component began dismantling and disabling the air defense systems in Venezuela, employing weapons to ensure the safe passage of the helicopters into the target area," according to Caine.
"We arrived at Maduro's compound at 1:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, or 2:01 a.m. Caracas local time, and the apprehension force descended into Maduro's compound and moved with speed, precision and discipline towards their objective and isolated the area to ensure the safety and security of the ground force, while apprehending the indicted persons," Caine said.
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"On arrival into the target area, the helicopters came under fire, and they replied with that fire with overwhelming force and self-defense. One of our aircraft was hit but remained flyable. And as the president said earlier today, all of our aircraft came home and that aircraft remained flyable during the rest of the mission," he added.
Maduro and his wife then "gave up" and were taken into custody by the Justice Department, with no loss of life to U.S. forces, Caine told reporters.
"After securing the indicted persons, the force began to prep for departure. Helicopters were called in to exfiltrate the extraction force, while fighter aircraft and remotely piloted aircraft provided overhead coverage and suppressive fire. There were multiple self-defense engagements as the force began to withdraw out of Venezuela," he added.
"The force successfully exfiltrated and returned to their afloat launch bases, and the force was over the water at 3:29 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, with indicted persons on board, and both Maduro and his wife were embarked aboard the USS Iwo Jima," Caine concluded.
