Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro appears in New York court on narco-terrorism charges
New York (The Uttam Hindu): Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro has been brought to New York, USA, where he will face trial in federal court on narco-terrorism charges. Marco was captured by US Delta Force commandos. Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores landed at Stewart Air National Guard Base on Saturday. From there, both were taken by helicopter to a helipad in Manhattan, which is near federal offices and courts. They were taken under tight security. They may first have to go to the Drug Enforcement Agency office for processing.
Maduro will then be held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, a notorious federal prison in Brooklyn, where he will await trial. A $50 million bounty was announced on Maduro. He is expected to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Monday. Earlier, when the plane landed on Saturday afternoon, FBI agents surrounded the entire plane and immediately took the Maduro couple with them.
This entire operation was carried out under 'Operation Absolute Resolve'. Maduro was captured early Saturday morning from the Venezuelan military base Fuerte Tuna, where he was hiding. From there, he was taken to the US Navy ship Iwo Jima. According to officials, more than 150 aircraft were involved in this operation. According to the US Attorney General, Maduro and his wife are accused of narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, and weapons possession. In the charges filed in 2020, they are also accused of leading the drug gang 'Cartel de los Soles'.
US President Donald Trump has hinted that the trial could be moved from New York to Miami, where there are a large number of Venezuelans living in the US. News of Maduro's arrest sparked jubilation there. Trump said a decision would be made whether to hold the trial in New York, Miami, or elsewhere in Florida. He described the arrest as an anti-drug operation, portraying it as a routine law and order operation.
For now, Maduro's Vice President, Delcy Rodriguez, will remain in her position. Trump said, "She's willing to do basically what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again." However, Rodriguez responded sharply, accusing the US of aggression and calling it a coup plot to seize Venezuela's oil, minerals, and natural resources. He said that the only president of Venezuela is Nicolas Maduro.
Meanwhile, the US Secretary of State stated that decisions regarding the interim government and its leaders would be made based on their future actions. Meanwhile, some of Trump's statements have further complicated the situation. He stated that the US would run the country properly and would make a lot of money from it. This is being seen as a reference to Venezuela's oil resources.
According to the US Justice Department, Maduro and several senior officials, including his wife, ran a drug trafficking network for 25 years. They are alleged to have sat at the helm of a corrupt and illegitimate government that long patronized illicit activities.