US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth offered new details about the military operation carried out in Venezuela and stated that Nicolas Maduro and his wife were unaware of the US incursion until "three minutes before" the arrival of the troops.

“Nicolas Maduro met some exceptional Americans wearing night-vision goggles three nights ago,” Hegseth said Monday during an event with sailors in Newport News, Virginia. “He didn't know they were coming until three minutes before they arrived. In fact, his wife said, 'I think I hear plans outside.'” Hegseth maintained that the operation's success was due to the strict adherence of every link in the operational chain. “They didn't know. Do you know why? Because every part of that chain was fulfilling its function and doing it flawlessly, protecting operational security and with a commitment to one thing only: the mission," he stated. Nearly 200 personnel in the raid in Caracas. The official revealed for the first time the scale of the ground deployment used in the operation. According to him, nearly 200 Special Operations personnel participated in the raid carried out at dawn on Saturday in Caracas, where Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were captured.

Until now, only the participation of more than 150 aircraft in the operation had been confirmed, without specifying how many troops had been deployed on the ground. Hegseth indicated that it was “nearly 200 of our best Americans” who entered “downtown Caracas” to capture “an individual accused and wanted by US justice.”

No US casualties and official secrecy

The Secretary of War emphasized that the operation was carried out “in support of law enforcement” and without the death of any US citizens. of the mission. Pentagon officials later indicated they had no additional information to add to Hegseth's statements, maintaining secrecy regarding the details of the operation.