In a stunning development, former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro has been brought to the United States in handcuffs to face a litany of criminal charges. His arrival at a military base in New York follows a dramatic and deadly US-led operation in Caracas that has ignited international controversy.
From Bedroom to Brooklyn: The Dramatic Capture
The operation to seize Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, unfolded in the Venezuelan capital. According to reports from CNN, the couple were forcibly removed, or "dragged," from their bedroom in what was described as a "highly guarded" residence resembling a fortress. The mission, authorised at the highest levels of the US government, had been delayed for four days due to unfavourable weather conditions before finally proceeding.
"We were going to do this four days ago but the weather was not perfect," the US President stated in a television interview. "All of a sudden it opened up and we just said go." The human cost of the raid was significant, with The New York Times reporting a death toll of 40, including civilians.
Arrival and Arraignment: The Charges Await
Maduro's aircraft touched down at the Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, New York, approximately 60 miles north of New York City. Photographs showed the former leader dressed in grey clothing and restraints, flanked by over a dozen federal officers as he disembarked. He was subsequently transferred to Manhattan before being handed over to officials from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The charges he is expected to face are severe and extensive, including conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, cocaine-importation conspiracy, and weapons offences. He is slated to be held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, a maximum-security facility with a notorious roster of former inmates such as Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and Ghislaine Maxwell.
International Fallout and Domestic Reaction
The extraordinary intervention has provoked fierce debate and condemnation. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani labelled the capture an "act of war." Internationally, the United Nations stated it was "deeply alarmed" by the American strikes, suggesting the action may constitute a breach of international law.
In Venezuela, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez demanded Maduro's immediate release and return, insisting he remains the country's "legitimate leader." Meanwhile, the US administration has signalled its next steps, with the President announcing intentions to "fix" Venezuela's oil infrastructure and sell "large amounts" of petroleum on the global market following Maduro's removal.
The legality of the military incursion into Venezuelan territory remains a point of intense scrutiny, with political opponents in the US criticising the move. As Maduro awaits his court proceedings in Brooklyn, the event marks an unprecedented escalation in the long-standing tensions between Washington and Caracas.
