Members of the Venezuelan government would have helped monitor the location of President Nicolás Maduro, according to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), cited by the newspaper The New York Times. The CIA, according to sources, produced the information that led to Maduro’s arrest by monitoring his movements and lifestyle.
Agents in Venezuela, working clandestinely since August 2025, collected crucial data that allowed precise planning of the operation.
It was not clear how the Venezuelan informant who provided information about Maduro’s location was recruited. However, former employees indicated that the $50 million reward offered by the United States for information leading to his capture may have contributed to obtaining the necessary cooperation.
Although the CIA played a central role in intelligence gathering and mission planning, the operation was carried out by U.S. Army special operations forces under law enforcement authority rather than as a direct agency mission.
Authorities consulted by American media described the operation as the result of “months of meticulous planning” and emphasized that Maduro was “under surveillance” from the beginning.
SEE ALSO:
How the US Destroyed Venezuela’s Air Defenses and Arrested Maduro
Delta Force: meet the elite US troops that captured Maduro
