Venezuela’s Defence Minister, Vladimir Padrino López, announced on Wednesday that authorities have launched a formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the January 3 U.S. military operation that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Speaking on Venezuela’s National Dignity Day, a symbolic event commemorated as a day of resilience and political transformation, Padrino López said the probe will help the country “to learn, evaluate and make adjustments” to the ongoing transformation plan of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces.
He also claimed that “extremely high technology” was used in the operation, though he did not provide specific details on the scope or methods of the investigation.
The statement by Venezuela’s top military official comes amid continued strong reactions from Caracas over the unprecedented U.S. intervention earlier this year.
The January 3 operation described by Venezuelan authorities as an act of aggression and a “kidnapping” of the democratically elected president involved U.S. forces moving into Venezuelan territory to detain Maduro and his wife.
Venezuela has lodged widespread diplomatic protests and denounced the operation as a violation of international law.
Details about the exact nature of the military operation remain limited. However, U.S. officials have acknowledged the capture and transportation of Maduro and Flores to the United States, where they face federal charges related to drug trafficking and criminal conspiracy allegations the Venezuelan leader has consistently denied.
Padrino López’s remarks during Wednesday’s commemorations focused on strengthening Venezuela’s defence structures and reviewing military preparedness.
By highlighting the use of advanced technology in the U.S. action, he suggested lessons learned from the incident could shape future military restructuring.
