The United States has transferred deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from his place of detention to a federal courthouse in New York City to face charges over alleged criminal activities that have long strained international relations.
Maduro appeared before the court just two days after being captured, alongside his wife, Cilia Flores, in Caracas during an operation dubbed “Operation Absolute Resolve” carried out by U.S. forces.
Live footage broadcast by U.S. media showed Maduro en route to New York under heavy security for his court appearance.
According to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, the indictment against Maduro includes charges of conspiracy related to narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of weapons and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess weapons and destructive devices against the United States.
These developments follow U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a large-scale strike against Venezuela and the capture and transfer of Maduro and his wife to U.S. territory.
The operation has drawn sharp international reactions. Russia, China, and several other countries criticized it as a violation of international law, while many U.S. allies who had opposed Maduro expressed comparatively muted concerns.
Chinese President Xi Jinping condemned the operation as “unilateral hegemonic bullying” in his first public remarks since the U.S. action.
Meanwhile, Trump reiterated that the operation against Maduro should serve as a warning to other nations. Speaking to reporters, he suggested that Colombian President Gustavo Petro could face U.S. action as well.
“Colombia is very sick too, run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States. And he’s not going to be doing it very long. Let me tell you,” Trump said on Sunday.
Reporters also asked Trump whether the U.S. might take similar action against Cuba, to which he replied that Cuba’s survival depended on Venezuelan support.
“Now they won’t have that income coming in. A lot of Cubans were killed yesterday protecting Maduro. Cuba looks like it’s ready to fall. They got all their income from Venezuelan oil, and now they’re not getting any of it. Many Cuban Americans will be very happy about this,” Trump said.
When asked again about potential U.S. action in Cuba, Trump added that he does not believe further intervention is necessary because the country “looks like it’s going down.”
