THE dramatic arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by US Delta Force Operatives from the heart of Caracas has been projected by Washington as a spectacular military success.

President Trump described it as a “brilliant operation,” yet beneath the triumphalist rhetoric lies a disturbing question: was this truly a daring unilateral military raid, or a carefully choreographed political drama executed with silent internal consent? To understand improbability of this operation as a purely external military action, one must first examine Venezuela’s security architecture. Venezuelan state had claimed that its defence system was designed not only to counter internal dissent but also to repel any foreign intervention. Bolivarian National Armed Forces were ideologically molded under Chavismo, ensuring unwavering loyalty to President and State.

Venezuela’s active military strength is around 200,000 personnel, supported by a similar number of paramilitary forces. These are divided among the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, and, most importantly, Bolivarian Militia. The militia alone numbered over 4.5 million members, prepared to wage guerrilla warfare in the event of a foreign invasion. Venezuelan Army fields approximately 63,000 regular troops equipped with modern hardware, including Russian-made T-72B1V tanks and BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles. National Guard, with about 23,000 personnel, handles internal security and repression. The Navy and........

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