Venezuela’s former leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, arrived at a New York courthouse on Monday, where Maduro is expected to appear before a judge, according to CNN.
Earlier that day, they were moved from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn to the courthouse. CNN reported that they traveled using a motorcade and a helicopter.
Maduro and Flores were seen wearing tan clothing and were closely guarded by armed agents from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
While the legal process continued in New York, reactions were also unfolding elsewhere. Venezuela’s foreign ministry said 32 Cuban citizens were killed during a US attack on Caracas over the weekend and described them as having died while carrying out their duties, CNN reported.
For Monday’s initial court hearing, Maduro has been assigned a court-appointed lawyer, David Wikstrom, according to a person familiar with the case. Maduro’s court appearance follows his capture during a US military operation on Saturday.
After the operation, US President Donald Trump said the United States was “in charge.” At the same time, Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, called for cooperation with the US, suggesting a more restrained response, CNN reported.
US officials have said they are working toward setting up an interim government in Venezuela. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the focus is on shaping policy and maintaining influence.
During this period, President Trump also made comments on other international issues, including Colombia, Mexico’s drug situation, and Greenland.
According to the Trump administration, the events began with a pre-dawn US operation inside Venezuela. During that operation, Maduro and his wife were detained, taken to a US naval ship, and then flown to New York.
US authorities say Maduro is expected to face several charges, including drug trafficking, narco-terrorism, and weapons-related offenses. The operation followed months of increased US military activity in the region.
Since September, the US has carried out dozens of strikes against vessels it says were involved in drug trafficking linked to Venezuela. These actions reportedly resulted in more than 115 deaths, raising concerns among legal experts about possible violations of international law.
Legal action against Maduro began during Trump’s first term. A new indictment unsealed on Saturday added further accusations related to drug trafficking and conspiracy.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said on social media that Maduro and others would face justice in US courts. President Trump also added a political angle, saying the US would manage Venezuela until a safe transition could take place and mentioning American oil interests in the country. (Agencies)
