Nicolas Maduro's Capture Has A Puerto Rico Angle

When US forces took Nicolas Maduro from Venezuela on Saturday, Aguadilla and several other Puerto Rican bases were already home to aircraft and personnel involved in the operation.

The island, roughly 800 km from Venezuela, was a hub for American military hardware in the region. Former bases such as the airport in Aguadilla and the naval station at Roosevelt Roads, which closed in 2004, have been revitalised to support US operations.

Fighter jets, drones, and other military equipment had reportedly been deployed to Puerto Rico as pressure on Maduro intensified. The former Air Force base at Aguadilla was reportedly Maduro's first stop on American soil after his capture, as per Politico.

The giveaway was a photo shared by US President Donald Trump showing a blindfolded, handcuffed Maduro clutching a bottle of Nikini brand water, widely available in Puerto Rico.

Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima. pic.twitter.com/omF2UpDJhA

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 3, 2026

While the island became a major US naval hub during World War II, military presence waned after the Cold War. Protests halted Navy bombing exercises in Vieques in 2001, and bases like Roosevelt Roads were closed.

Under Trump, F-35 fighter jets were sent to Puerto Rico in September, and US naval forces, including destroyers and amphibious assault ships, were deployed near Venezuela.

Historically, Puerto Rico has been a major part of the US defence strategy in the Caribbean. The US also relied on it to protect the Panama Canal and claim regional preeminence. It once again serves as the centre for US military and geopolitical strategy in Latin America.

The operation of the Venezuelan leader's capture followed months of US military activity in the region. From September 2025 onward, there were at least 35 strikes on boats accused by the US of carrying drugs from Venezuela, resulting in over 100 deaths.

The US deployed warships, aircraft, and about 12,000 troops in the Caribbean under Operation Southern Spear. A Navy submarine with cruise missiles also operated near South America.