The New York Times reported that a US cyber operation briefly disrupted Venezuela's electrical grid during a failed 2023 coup attempt. The cyberattack allegedly targeted military radar and caused blackouts in Caracas, aiding US-backed forces attempting to capture President Nicolás Maduro.

Experts remain skeptical due to lack of technical evidence. Unlike confirmed attacks using malware like BlackEnergy or Industroyer, no specific tools or methods were disclosed. Venezuela’s grid has long suffered from decay, making outages potentially coincidental rather than digitally orchestrated.

Cyber Command allegedly demonstrated precision capabilities, yet Maduro wasn’t captured, and the mission failed. Questions linger over whether infrastructure damage was digital or physical. Until forensic proof emerges, claims of a successful cyber strike remain unverified.

The incident raises concerns over militarized cyber operations targeting civilian infrastructure. Future scrutiny will likely focus on attribution methods and adherence to international norms during hybrid warfare scenarios involving critical systems.