"While the US military grabbed Maduro, where was Venezuela’s air force?"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Breaking Defense
09 January, 2026
Experts said operational surprise was certainly a factor, but so too were years-long issues with Caracas’s aircraft fleet and personnel.
WASHINGTON — When the United States military launched an operation to fly directly into downtown Caracas and snatch Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, top US officials noted that the invading force was met with limited ground-to-air fire — but they made no mention of any aerial resistance.
