In a stunning late-night military operation, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was captured by US forces and subsequently extradited to the United States, where he now faces a series of grave criminal charges. The first visuals of his arrival on American soil emerged on Saturday, showing a handcuffed Maduro being escorted by officials at New York's Stewart Airport.
The Capture and the Long Journey to US Custody
The operation to apprehend Maduro unfolded during the night in Venezuela. According to US President Donald Trump, who shared the initial image of the captive leader, Maduro was heavily guarded inside a fortified palace. US forces, having rehearsed the mission, executed it in under 30 minutes amidst reported explosions in Caracas. Following his capture, Maduro was swiftly flown out of the capital aboard a US helicopter.
His transcontinental journey to face justice spanned approximately 2,100 miles (3,300 kilometres). He was first taken to the USS Iwo Jima, a US warship stationed at an undisclosed location in the Caribbean Sea. From there, he was transferred to the controversial US naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The final leg involved a flight to Stewart Air Force Base in New York's Orange County, followed by a helicopter ride into New York City itself.
Processing in New York and Serious Legal Charges
After landing in New York, a motorcade believed to be transporting Maduro moved from the DEA headquarters on Manhattan's West Side Highway. He and his wife, First Lady Cilia Flores, were then flown by helicopter along the Hudson River, past the Statue of Liberty, to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Official footage later released showed Maduro in a "perp walk" at the DEA office, wearing a black hoodie and handcuffs.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that indictments have been filed against both Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores in the Southern District of New York. The charges are severe and include conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, and weapons-related conspiracies involving machine guns and destructive devices.
The booking process for the couple has commenced, involving fingerprinting, collecting biometric data, taking mugshots, and medical examinations. Their details are being entered into US immigration and border systems. They are expected to be formally presented in court, potentially as early as Monday.
International Fallout and Reactions
The dramatic extraction has sparked major international tensions. The Venezuelan government has condemned the US action as a "serious military aggression" and declared a state of emergency. The United States has stated its forces sustained minimal casualties during the operation.
As legal proceedings gear up in New York, Maduro remains in US custody. The event marks an unprecedented escalation in the long-standing political and ideological conflict between the US and the Venezuelan leadership, setting the stage for a complex legal and diplomatic battle.
