Deposed Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro is expected to appear in Manhattan federal court on Monday afternoon on drugs and weapons charges following his capture by US special forces over the weekend. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized in a pre-dawn raid on a compound in Caracas on Saturday, an operation that reportedly left at least 40 people dead, including civilians and Venezuelan military personnel.
Footage from New York on Monday showed Maduro and Flores being led by armed officers, handcuffed and dressed in beige, to a helicopter for transfer from a Brooklyn detention centre to court. US President Donald Trump called the operation a “brilliant” success and suggested it could serve as a model for other Latin American countries, particularly Colombia.
The indictment alleges that Maduro headed a “corrupt, illegitimate government that, for decades, has leveraged government power to protect and promote illegal activity, including drug trafficking.” He faces charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons possession. His son and three others are also charged.
Trump said the US would control Venezuela temporarily, stating, “We will run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.” However, US forces do not control Venezuela, and acting president Delcy Rodríguez was being sworn in on Monday. Rodríguez initially denounced Maduro’s capture as a kidnapping but later expressed willingness to cooperate with Washington.
Trump also threatened further action, saying he was prepared to stage a “second and much larger attack” if needed, and suggested that Colombian President Gustavo Petro might be next. He added that the US would take control of Venezuela’s oil industry, with American companies investing to repair infrastructure.
