Maduro and Wife To Face Federal Charges at U.S. District Court in New York
Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife have been captured by U.S. forces and brought to the United States, where they are set to appear in federal court at noon on Monday, a spokesperson for the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York confirmed. President Trump, during a Saturday press briefing, said the U.S. would temporarily “run” Venezuela during the transition and “get the oil flowing,” adding on Sunday that America was now “in charge” of the country. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later clarified that the U.S. does not intend to directly govern Venezuela but will continue enforcing an “oil quarantine” as part of its strategy to influence the nation’s policies. Maduro and his wife were flown to New York on Saturday following their capture in Caracas during a U.S. military operation. They are being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn and face federal charges, including drug trafficking and collaboration with gangs labeled as terrorist organizations—allegations Maduro denies. Officials told CBS News that the raid was executed by the U.S. Army’s Delta Force, an elite special forces unit. The operation followed months of U.S. military preparations in the region, including the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier and other naval vessels in the Caribbean, alongside a series of targeted strikes on more than 30 boats reportedly carrying drugs.
