Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro was in New York City on Saturday evening shortly after the US military operation in Caracas had nabbed him, which greatly intensified the relationship between the US and Venezuela. Together with his wife, Cilia Flores, Maduro was arrested and transported to the US where he faces very serious federal charges in New York’s Southern District such as narco terrorism and cocaine trafficking.
First Words From Captured Nicolas Maduro As He Reaches New York, Watch Video
The very moment he landed on American territory, video and social media showed him being led by federal agents off the plane, and at one point, he was already reportedly saying to the people around him, ‘Good night, Happy New Year,’ which indicated that these were his very first public words after entering the US Maduro’s shift from Venezuela to the States was the result of Operation Absolute Resolve, a top secret mission that was authorized by President Donald Trump and was under his direction after the Venezuelan government had been pressured for months about its supposed corruption, drug trafficking, and oppressive rule. The US has defended its action as law enforcement and as part of a larger campaign against narcotics smuggling, critics in the US and internationally have expressed legal reservations regarding the use of military force without any clear congressional or international approval. Legal scholars say that even though US courts may continue with the indictments no matter where Maduro is apprehended, the whole operation may become a very controversial issue under international law.
First footage of Nicolás Maduro in The DEA offices, the former venezuelan leader said “Good night, happy new year”. pic.twitter.com/FezVFOYgqQ
— Crazy Ass Moments in LatAm Politics (@AssLatam) January 4, 2026
US-Venezuela
The arrival of Maduro in New York has started a sequence of political repercussions and debates that are quite huge. Maduro’s supporters have staged protests not only in the US but also in other countries, while powerful officials like Trump and Pam Bondi, US Attorney General, have made it clear that the former Venezuelan leader along with his aide, Flores, will undoubtedly be prosecuted in full by the American justice system. Simultaneously, the processing and subsequent appointment of Maduro to a federal court for an initial hearing have opened up the discussion about who is going to run Venezuela and how long the transition will be, thus creating more uncertainty. The whole scenario is the center of world interest and it illustrates the existing geopolitical division and the extensive consequences of the American operation.
Also Read: Will The US Really ‘Run’ Venezuela After Nicolas Maduro’s Ouster? Here’s What Trump Said
