One of the most extraordinary and controversial events in modern international politics unfolded: Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were seized in a high-stakes military operation carried out by U.S. forces in Caracas, then transported to New York to face federal criminal charges. The shocking mission — dubbed Operation Absolute Resolve — abruptly ended Maduro’s nearly 13-year rule and sent shockwaves across Venezuela, the Americas, and the world.