Brazil reportedly planned a secret operation to rescue Nicolás Maduro

The Brazilian outlet DefesaNet revealed that, amid growing United States pressure on Nicolás Maduro's regime, a plan called Operation Imeri emerged, whose objective was reportedly to organize a rescue of the Venezuelan leader. The name comes from the mountain range that divides the Amazon between Brazil and Venezuela, symbolizing the connection between both countries.

According to the publication, the plan was discussed in meetings between Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and his counterpart Venezuelan Yván Gil during the OTCA/CELAC summit in Bogotá in August 2025. Officially, the meetings revolved around regional cooperation issues, but in practice they reportedly served to assess the possibility of transferring Maduro to Brazilian territory and placing him under Brazil's custody before he fell into the hands of United States Southern Command or opposition armed groups.

Two military rescue alternatives

DefesaNet asserts that the plan contemplated two scenarios.

1. The first consisted of a maritime evacuation corridor, with the deployment of Brazilian Navy ships, including the multi-purpose helicopter carrier Atlântico and Niterói-class frigates. These maneuvers would be officially presented as international naval exercises to avoid authorization from Congress, although in practice they would serve as cover to extract Maduro.
2. The second was an air operation with a KC-390 Millennium from the Brazilian Air Force. The aircraft, accompanied by special operations commandos from the three branches, would carry out a rapid landing on a previously selected Venezuelan airstrip, pick up Maduro and his close associates, and transfer them to the Boa Vista air base in Roraima.

Internal resistance and United States pressure

The outlet's investigation indicates that there were strong divisions within the Brazilian Armed Forces regarding this operation. Sectors of the Navy refused to participate in a possible rescue of the Venezuelan dictator, considering that it would mean becoming involved in the defense of a regime accused of narco-terrorism.

Meanwhile, the United States reportedly closely monitored Brazil's movements, making it clear that any attempt to protect Maduro would be interpreted as a hostile action. Washington warned that it could impose new economic and diplomatic sanctions if Lula's government proceeded with the operation, thus reinforcing its strategy of international pressure against Chavismo.

Regional context and consequences

According to DefesaNet, Operation Imeri would be linked to military training already planned in the Amazon region under the so-called Operation Atlas. Nevertheless, its real background would be to guarantee a safe escape for Maduro and part of his inner circle, presenting the maneuver as "humanitarian cooperation" to disguise what, in the United States' view, would be an action aimed at protecting a "narco-terrorist."

The investigation concludes that, despite the Brazilian government's efforts to keep these negotiations secret, the United States' firm stance makes it difficult for a plan of this magnitude to materialize. For Washington, Maduro is not a legitimate head of state, but an international criminal whose continued hold on power represents a threat to hemispheric security.