American forces deployed a devastating sonic weapon during the raid to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, leaving soldiers bleeding from their noses and vomiting blood, according to a witness account shared by the White House.
The chilling testimony, posted on X by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Saturday, describes how just 20 US troops armed with advanced technology wiped out hundreds of Venezuelan defenders without suffering a single casualty. The guard's account reveals the stark technological gap between American forces and Maduro's military, with the mystery weapon rendering soldiers completely incapacitated within moments. The operation, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, began around 2:00 local time on 3 January when explosions were first observed across northern Venezuela.
'My Head Was Exploding From the Inside'
The Venezuelan guard recalled the moment US forces unleashed the weapon during the operation. 'At one point, they launched something; I don't know how to describe it', he said in the interview. 'It was like a very intense sound wave. Suddenly, I felt like my head was exploding from the inside.'
The effects were immediate and horrific, according to his testimony. 'We all started bleeding from the nose', he said. 'Some were vomiting blood. We fell to the ground, unable to move. We couldn't even stand up after that sonic weapon — or whatever it was.'
The witness described how hundreds of Venezuelan soldiers were rendered helpless, collapsing where they stood as the weapon took effect.
Venezuela's Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello confirmed on Wednesday that more than 100 people were killed during the US military operation. The death toll included 32 Cuban citizens carrying out missions for Cuba's armed forces and interior ministry, Cuba's presidential office revealed on Facebook. It remains unclear how many casualties resulted specifically from the sonic weapon.
Radars Failed Before Drone Assault
According to the guard's account, Venezuelan forces had no warning before the assault began. 'We were on guard, but suddenly all our radar systems shut down without any explanation', he said. 'The next thing we saw were drones, a lot of drones, flying over our positions. We didn't know how to react.'
He estimated that barely eight helicopters dropped approximately 20 US troops into the area. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the American forces came equipped with technology the guard said was unlike anything Venezuelan soldiers had encountered.
'They were technologically very advanced', he recalled. 'They didn't look like anything we've fought against before.'
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed that roughly 200 Americans participated in the overnight raid, which was rehearsed for months using a replica of Maduro's residence. 'Nicolás Maduro got to meet some great Americans wearing night vision goggles three nights ago', Hegseth told sailors aboard the USS John F Kennedy aircraft carrier. 'He didn't know they were coming until three minutes before they arrived.'
'No Way to Compete'
The witness described how US forces demonstrated overwhelming firepower superiority even before deploying the sonic weapon. 'They were shooting with such precision and speed; it felt like each soldier was firing 300 rounds per minute', he said.
The combination of advanced weaponry and the mystery sonic device created what the guard characterised not as a battle, but as a slaughter.
'Those twenty men, without a single casualty, killed hundreds of us', he claimed. 'We had no way to compete with their technology, with their weapons. I swear, I've never seen anything like it.'
The Pentagon confirmed that seven US troops were injured during the operation, with five having already returned to duty and two still recovering. One helicopter was hit during the operation but remained flyable.
Understanding Acoustic Weapons Technology
The alleged use of sonic weaponry in the Maduro raid represents a significant escalation in demonstrated US military technology. Sonic weapons, also known as acoustic weapons or long-range acoustic devices, are designed to use sound waves to injure, incapacitate or kill.
The most common type of acoustic weapon is the Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD), used for crowd control, which can emit sound approaching 150 decibels—intense enough to cause permanent hearing damage. However, the effects described by the Venezuelan guard suggest a far more powerful weapon than publicly known LRAD systems.
Extremely high-power sound waves can disrupt or destroy eardrums and cause severe pain or disorientation. Studies have foundthat high-intensity sound can cause various internal injuries, affecting the central nervous system and cardiovascular function. The weapon's ability to cause bleeding aligns with documented effects of high-intensity acoustics, though such severe symptoms suggest capabilities far beyond publicly known systems.
🚨This account from a Venezuelan security guard loyal to Nicolás Maduro is absolutely chilling—and it explains a lot about why the tone across Latin America suddenly changed.
— Mike Netter (@nettermike) January 10, 2026
Security Guard: On the day of the operation, we didn't hear anything coming. We were on guard, but… pic.twitter.com/392mQuakYV
Regional Warning as Trump Targets Mexico
The Venezuelan soldier issued a stark warning to other nations following the raid. 'I'm sending a warning to anyone who thinks they can fight the United States', he said. 'They have no idea what they're capable of. After what I saw, I never want to be on the other side of that again. They're not to be messed with.'
The testimony takes on added significance after President Donald Trump recently warned that Mexico is now 'on the list', suggesting potential military action could extend beyond Venezuela. 'Everyone is already talking about this', the guard said. 'No one wants to go through what we went through. What happened here is going to change a lot of things — not just in Venezuela, but throughout the region.'
