Maduro and Flores Held in New York After U.S. Operation

Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, spent the night in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn following a U.S. special forces operation in Caracas.

U.S. officials say the operation, dubbed “Absolute Resolve,” was carried out under the Trump administration. Maduro was taken from his residence in the Venezuelan capital and flown to New York, with his location undisclosed for several hours until the aircraft landed.

Images broadcast worldwide showed Maduro in handcuffs surrounded by federal agents. Authorities later released photos and video as both Maduro and Flores were processed on drug trafficking and weapons charges linked to a 2020 indictment by the Southern District of New York.

Demonstrations both supporting and opposing the operation were reported in Washington and New York, while large segments of the Venezuelan diaspora worldwide celebrated in the streets.

Speaking at Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump said the United States would temporarily oversee Venezuela during a transition period and move to restart oil production. He added that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in contact with Delcy Rodríguez, who was sworn in as acting president by Venezuela’s Supreme Court and is also indicted in New York.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres warned the operation could set a “dangerous precedent.” Venezuela and Colombia have requested an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Monday.

Maduro and Flores are expected to appear in federal court in Lower Manhattan later that day.