Trump releases photo of Nicolas Maduro in US custody after Venezuela strikes

President Donald Trump posted a photograph on Saturday showing Nicolas Maduro in US custody after his forces carried out a mission to capture the Venezuelan president.

According to Reuters, the picture Trump posted on his Truth Social account shows Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima" amphibious assault ship, currently in the Caribbean Sea.

Describing the photo released by the US president, the wire service wrote
"What appears to be the letters DEA can be seen on a black uniformed person next to Venezuelan president Maduro. U.S. president Trump said DEA officials were involved in the operation. Verifying the location was not immediately possible as the photograph is tightly cropped. But the patterning of grey hairs within Maduro's mustache matched recent imagery of him."

Writing about the US operation, Reuters reported that the action came as a surprise, but according to sources familiar with the matter, planning for one of the most complex US operations in recent memory had been in the works for months and included detailed rehearsals.

Elite US troops, including the Army's Delta Force, created an exact replica of Maduro's safe house and practiced how they would enter the strongly fortified residence.

The CIA had a small team on the ground starting in August who were able to provide insight into Maduro's pattern of life that made grabbing him seamless, Reuters reported citing a source familiar with the matter.

Two other sources told Reuters the intelligence agency also had an asset close to Maduro who would monitor his movements and was poised to pinpoint his exact location as the operation unfolded.

With the pieces in place, Trump approved the operation four days ago, but military and intelligence planners suggested he wait for better weather and less cloud cover. At 10:46 p.m. EST on Friday, Trump gave the final go ahead for what would be known as Operation Absolute Resolve, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine told reporters.