‘Dragged from their bedroom’: How a night raid led to Maduro’s capture

A late-night operation, helicopters out of Caracas, and a disputed path to a US courtroom.

• US forces reportedly seized Maduro and wife in Caracas, says CNN
• Trump claims Maduro is en route to New York to face federal charges
• Venezuela disputes US account, insists Maduro remains president

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Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were “dragged from their bedroom” by elite US forces during an overnight raid in Caracas, CNN reported, citing sources familiar with the operation.

US President Donald Trump later said the pair were flown out by helicopter and are now being taken to New York to face federal charges, a claim Venezuela disputes as it demands proof of custody and insists Maduro remains the country’s leader.

According to CNN’s account, the operation unfolded overnight, with US special operations forces entering Maduro’s residence and seizing both Maduro and Flores in their bedroom. The report describes a swift extraction, with helicopters lifting off shortly after the capture.

US officials cited by CNN said the mission was tightly focused on apprehending Maduro and that no American personnel were injured during the raid.

Trump’s version: ‘They’re on a ship to New York’

Trump said the captured Venezuelan leader and his wife were transferred by helicopter to a US naval vessel and are en route to New York, where prosecutors intend to bring them before a federal court in Manhattan.

In media interviews, Trump framed the operation as the culmination of weeks of pressure, saying he had told Maduro to surrender. He described watching the operation unfold in real time and portrayed the capture as the central objective of US military activity in Venezuela.

The charges waiting in the US

US authorities say Maduro and Flores will face charges linked to drug trafficking and weapons offenses, allegations Washington has levelled against Maduro and senior figures in his government for years.

If the transfer to New York proceeds as described, the case would mark the first time a sitting Venezuelan president is physically brought to the US to stand trial, turning a long-running legal pursuit into a courtroom showdown.

Caracas pushes back: ‘Maduro is still president’

Venezuelan officials have rejected Washington’s narrative, saying there is no verified proof that Maduro has been lawfully detained and insisting he remains the country’s head of state. The foreign ministry has demanded his return and warned that the US operation violates Venezuela’s sovereignty.

That response sets up a volatile standoff: even if Maduro is in US custody, questions remain over who exercises effective control inside Venezuela, from the armed forces to key ministries, and how quickly a power vacuum could form.