Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, suffered head injuries while attempting to evade capture by US Delta Force operators during a dramatic nighttime raid on their compound, officials have confirmed.
The Raid and Injuries
As elite American soldiers closed in, the couple reportedly ran and tried to hide behind a heavy steel door within their residence. The metal frame was too low, causing both Maduro and Flores to crack their heads as they scrambled to escape. Delta Force personnel apprehended them and administered first aid following their extraction from the site.
The injuries were visible when the pair appeared in a New York court on Monday, January 6, 2026. Flores's attorney informed the judge that she had 'sustained significant injuries' during the abduction and indicated a potential rib fracture or severe bruising, requesting a medical evaluation.
Trump's Response and High Casualty Toll
Speaking at the newly named Trump-Kennedy Centre on Tuesday, President Donald Trump celebrated the operation. 'It was an amazing military feat that took place,' he stated, applauding the complexity of an mission involving 152 aircraft. He noted with pride that no US special forces were killed, while acknowledging fatalities among Maduro's guards.
'On the other side a lot of people were killed. Unfortunately... Soldiers – Cubans, mostly Cubans, but many, many killed,' Trump said. The assault triggered a major firefight with a nearby Cuban quick reaction force, resulting in injuries to some Delta Force operators. Latest reports suggest more than 80 people, including Cuban soldiers and civilians, were killed during the raid.
Trump also used the occasion to criticise Maduro personally, calling him a 'violent guy' and alleging the existence of a torture chamber in Caracas.
Political Fallout and Nobel Prize Controversy
The operation has stirred significant political reactions. Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, María Corina Machado, thanked Trump for his 'firmness and determination' and offered him her Nobel Prize. However, Trump reportedly lost interest in supporting Machado after she accepted the award, with White House sources describing it as the 'ultimate sin'.
Internally, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is said to have argued against backing the Venezuelan opposition, a position reportedly supported by classified CIA intelligence warning of further destabilisation.
