Washington, Jan 4 (AHN) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday defended the decision to limit the Venezuela operation to the arrest of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, describing it as a highly complex military mission focused on a single, top-priority target.

Responding to criticism that other indicted Venezuelan officials remain in positions of power, Rubio said the operation was never intended to capture multiple figures simultaneously.

“The number one person on the list was the guy who claimed to be the president of the country,” Rubio told CBS’ Face the Nation in an interview. “He was the top target.”

Rubio said the arrest was carried out under extreme operational constraints. “It is not easy to land helicopters in the middle of the largest military base in the country,” he said, noting that Maduro was residing on a military base.

He described the pace and precision of the mission. “Land within three minutes, kick down his door, grab him, put him in handcuffs, read him his rights, put him in a helicopter and leave the country,” Rubio said.

The operation was completed without any US casualties or losses, he said. “Without losing any American or any American assets.”

Rubio pushed back forcefully when asked why additional officials were not detained during the operation. “You’re asking me why didn’t we do that in five other places at the same time?” he said. “That’s absurd.”

He said expanding the scope of the mission would have drawn heavy criticism. “Imagine the howls we would have from everybody else if we actually had to go and stay there four days,” Rubio said.

Rubio said Maduro’s arrest marked a major milestone. “Today, an indicted drug trafficker who was not the legitimate president of Venezuela is now facing justice,” he said.

He stressed that Maduro lacked international recognition. “We don’t recognise him. The Biden administration didn’t recognise him. Sixty-something countries don’t recognise him,” Rubio said.

Rubio said the mission required extraordinary coordination and skill. “I do think this is one of the most daring, complicated, sophisticated missions this country has carried out in a very long time,” he said.

He praised the US forces involved. “Tremendous credit to the US military personnel who did it,” Rubio said. “It was unbelievable.”

Rubio rejected suggestions that the operation left the regime intact. He said the arrest removed the central figure who had claimed legitimacy. “He was claiming to be the president of the country that he was not,” Rubio said.

The Secretary of State said further actions would depend on circumstances. “We will retain multiple levers of leverage,” he said, including sanctions and enforcement measures already in place.