The US capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro will be closely studied by Beijing, which has signalled its ability to target Taiwan’s leadership in the latest PLA exercises near the island, according to analysts.
The operation – carried out on Saturday by the US Army’s elite Delta Force, the military’s top special missions unit – was described by Chinese analysts as a “textbook” strike with high precision and minimal casualties.
“The planning and execution were highly refined,” said Fu Qianshao, a Chinese aviation analyst.
“The operation against Maduro achieved its goal and demonstrated a systematic approach, with extensive intelligence gathering and the use of various platforms to neutralise defence systems via electronic warfare and air strikes,” he added.
More than 150 military aircraft, including drones, fighter jets and bombers, were deployed to destroy Venezuela’s air defences, creating a clear path for helicopters carrying US special operations forces to approach Maduro’s compound, according to American officials.
The mission also involved cyber operations that disabled power across large parts of Caracas. This followed months of intense rehearsals, intelligence gathering, and military build-up in the region, including the positioning of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier and several other warships in the Caribbean.
