U.S. President Donald Trump and other American officials provided journalists with detailed information about preparing and carrying out an operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.
At the same time, American mass media report that high-ranking U.S. officials were involved in planning the operation, and that both a small group from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and sources within the Venezuelan government were working on it.
According to information released by U.S. intelligence agencies, Maduro and his wife were arrested in the early morning of January 3, shortly after U.S. missile strikes on Venezuela.
Both were captured at their homes in the country's capital, Caracas.
According to sources reported by the BBC's partner in America, CBS, the operation was carried out by Delta Force, the U.S.'s primary counter-terrorism unit.
At a press conference on Saturday, Donald Trump said Maduro's house "looked more like a fortress" and that special forces were prepared to use "huge lights" to breach the steel protection, but ultimately it was not necessary.
CNN added, citing its sources, that Maduro and Cilia Flores were asleep when the operation began.
