Venezuelan Leader Nicolás Maduro and Wife Detained in New York on Drug Conspiracy Charges
NEW YORK, N.Y. — Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, arrived at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn late Saturday evening after being captured earlier that day by U.S. forces at their compound in South America. The couple faces multiple charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices, according to the indictment.
The operation, dubbed “Absolute Resolve,” followed a series of U.S. military strikes targeting suspected drug vessels linked to Maduro’s regime in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific. A Department of Justice plane transported Maduro and Flores, landing at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, New York, before they were transferred to the detention center.
President Donald Trump publicly shared a photo of Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima during the capture, signaling the administration’s commitment to maintaining a presence in Venezuela. “We’re there now, and we’re going to stay until such time as the proper transition can take place,” Trump said, warning of a potential “second and much larger attack.”
The Venezuelan government condemned the U.S. operation, describing it as an attempt to seize the country’s oil and mineral resources and impose a “colonial war” aimed at forcing regime change. Meanwhile, celebrations erupted in other countries, though inside Venezuela, citizens reportedly began stockpiling food amid fears of political instability.
This marks the first U.S. military removal of a Latin American leader in nearly four decades, the last being the 1989 ousting of Panama’s Manuel Noriega. Experts caution that while the operation was swift, long-term governance challenges remain.
Senator Marco Rubio expressed concern over the broader regional implications, particularly regarding Cuba’s response to the arrests. The Department of Justice continues to investigate the full extent of Maduro’s alleged narcotics trafficking network.
For further details on the charges and the ongoing investigation, see the Department of Justice and official statements from the U.S. Department of State. The Department of Defense also provided information on the military operation. Analysts and policymakers are closely monitoring developments, with updates expected in the coming days.
The Metropolitan Detention Center, operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, is now holding Maduro and his wife as proceedings move forward. The case is poised to have significant geopolitical ramifications, underscoring the U.S. government’s intensified focus on narcotics trafficking and authoritarian regimes in the Western Hemisphere.
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