Rabat – Nicolas Maduro appeared before a New York federal court today, days after a US military operation in Caracas led to his arrest and transfer to the US.
The unprecedented move, ordered by President Donald Trump, has set off diplomatic shockwaves, with the UN set to examine whether Washington crossed legal and political red lines.
US authorities accuse the former Venezuelan leader of running a major drug-trafficking network tied to criminal groups across Latin America, including Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel and Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua.
Maduro has long rejected the charges, arguing that they serve as a cover for US ambitions over Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.
The operation, which involved US Special Forces entering Caracas over the weekend, marks the most forceful American intervention in the region in decades.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were taken into custody and flown to New York, where they now face judicial proceedings under heavy security.
In Caracas, Maduro’s allies remain in control, even as the tone from the interim leadership shifts.
Acting president Delcy Rodriguez first condemned the raid as a violation of sovereignty, then called for “respectful relations” with Washington. “Our region deserves peace and dialogue, not war,” she said.
Trump, however, left little doubt about his broader objectives. He described Maduro as a “dictator” and a “drug kingpin” while openly linking the operation to Venezuela’s oil wealth, the largest proven reserves in the world.
He warned of further action if Caracas refuses cooperation on drugs and energy, and extended his threats to other governments in the region, saying Cuba “looks like it’s ready to fall.”
The arrest has drawn sharp criticism from Russia, China, and left-leaning governments, while US allies have responded with caution. Switzerland moved to freeze assets linked to Maduro, and the UN Security Council prepared for a contentious debate on the raid’s legality.
Maduro now awaits further hearings from a cell in New York’s Metropolitan Detention Center, a facility known for harsh conditions. His removal has altered the balance of power but left Venezuela suspended between an unresolved past and an uncertain future.
