I don't presume to say, other than there can be a lot of possible missions other than decapitation. Their army has ~120K and they've been expecting stuff to go down for months. This "deal with a general" you're suggesting is very hand-wavey.
Maduro and wife have been abducted, according to Trump himself.
oh for sure, such is the nature of speculating on these things as they are occuring.
As you say, this check has been in the mail for a while, so how are vulernable helicopters flying over caracas without any resistance? One dude with a MANPADS could take them down.
Decapitation is also the only aparent strategic goal of this operation, so it's hardly far fetched to suggest they going for 'one and done'.
Anyway, beers on me if I'm wrong :)