A highly secretive unit within the CIA, known as ‘Ground Branch,’ paved the way for Special Forces operatives to launch an assault on Nicolas Maduro’s stronghold in Venezuela, according to exclusive information obtained by The Mirror.
Operating under the CIA Special Activities Centre, the Ground Branch team was deployed to Caracas as early as August to surveil Maduro’s movements discreetly.
Their mission involved identifying entry points for Army Delta Force commandos and creating detailed profiles on Maduro and his security detail. Despite facing constant threats from Caracas security forces, the team meticulously tracked every detail, from Maduro’s whereabouts to the layout of his residence.
In a dramatic Saturday operation, Maduro, along with his wife Cilia Flores, was apprehended during a mission that involved 150 warplanes and 11 ships, resulting in a significant capture. The couple appeared in a New York court to face narco-terror charges and both entered not-guilty pleas.
Comprising elite operatives including former Army Delta Force members and Navy SEALs, the Ground Branch team is renowned for its covert operations. Simultaneously, traditional CIA agents were working to recruit defectors from the Maduro regime to gather vital intelligence.
The operation in Caracas was a high-stakes undertaking that relied on defectors to assist in identifying targets. The extended undercover mission was classified as a “black op” and carried significant risks due to the lack of official cover for the operatives.
Known for its clandestine nature, Ground Branch is a highly selective unit that recruits operatives from special forces backgrounds, providing them with extensive training in espionage tactics and covert operations.
Established out of the necessity for a specialized paramilitary unit, Ground Branch is equipped to carry out sabotage, intelligence-gathering, and targeted missions in hostile territories. The unit’s origins can be traced back to the 1980s when the US government recognized the need for coordinated covert operations.
Ground Branch operatives possess a diverse skill set, ranging from assassination to mission planning, reflecting the unit’s strategic importance in national security operations. The creation of paramilitary units like Ground Branch was a response to past failures, such as the ill-fated 1980 Operation Eagle Claw during the Iran hostage crisis.
While the UK’s counterpart to Ground Branch is the SAS ‘E Squadron,’ which collaborates closely with MI6, the American unit remains one of the most secretive and specialized covert groups globally.
