New Details Emerge on Maduro's Arrest

According to reports from the New York Times (NYT) and CNN, a small group of CIA agents began secret operations in Venezuela as early as August, allegedly involving someone from Nicolás Maduro's inner circle—a "rat" with unrestricted access to the dictator's personal residences, possibly a member of his personal security detail.

This group of CIA agents has been spying on the dictator, even using drone technology. The agents learned details about his movements, where he lives, where he goes, what he eats, what he wears, and even what pets he owns, said U.S. government's chief military advisor Dan Kane at a press conference following the attack.

Kane indicated that micro-drones were used during the assault on Maduro's residence, as reported by Bild. They created a three-dimensional map of the indoor space in real-time. This allowed soldiers to see the layout of obstacles, bodyguards, and Maduro himself on their helmet screens, enabling them to effectively see through the walls.

However, the key was indeed the CIA spy. According to NYT, the informant revealed that the massive steel doors to Maduro's bedroom and secure room have a slight mechanical delay when locked, a few seconds that Delta Force exploited to "catch the dictator off guard." The spy also reportedly confirmed via coded communication that Maduro was asleep and his bodyguards were "relaxing." The informant's presence in Maduro's inner circle may be related to the fact that the U.S. government announced a $50 million reward for information leading to the Venezuelan dictator's arrest last August.