Maduro and Wife Detained in New York

Nicolás Maduro, the Venezuelan leader, and his wife, Cilia Flores, were escorted by federal agents off a Department of Justice plane in upstate New York on Saturday afternoon. This followed their detention by U.S. forces at a South American location earlier that day.

According to officials, they will be moved to the Drug Enforcement Administration headquarters and then booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center located in Brooklyn.

Maduro faces serious charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, conspiracy to import cocaine, and possession of a machine gun along with a destructive device. Both his wife and son are named in the indictment as well.

Interestingly, President Donald Trump shared a photo of Maduro after his capture, though the image was too dim to clearly make out the couple as they disembarked in New York.

This operation, termed Absolute Resolve, comes after various U.S. military actions targeting drug vessels believed to be linked to Maduro’s regime, which are operating in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean.

The Venezuelan government issued a statement claiming that this attack was an attempt to seize control of the country’s oil and minerals, which they describe as a joint effort with a ‘fascist oligarchy’ aimed at overthrowing the republican government.

Trump has warned of a “second and larger attack,” emphasizing that U.S. troops would remain in Venezuela until a suitable transition is achieved. “We’re here now, and we’re going to stay there until there’s a proper transition,” he stated.

This situation unfolds nearly 40 years after the U.S. last intervened to remove a Latin American leader—specifically, the ousting of Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega in 1989, which led to long-term challenges in stabilizing the region.

While celebrations have erupted in some countries following the news, reports indicate that people in Venezuela are busy stockpiling food due to rising concerns about insecurity.