Venezuela's Maduro, wife captured in US raid, face drug charges

Donald Trump announced US forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in Caracas. Indicted in New York on drug trafficking and narco-terrorism charges, they will now face trial on American soil, Trump confirmed in Florida.

President Donald Trump on Saturday (local time) said that Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, who were captured in Caracas during a US military operation, have been indicted on charges of alleged "drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies" in the Southern District of New York, and will face trial. He said that American forces, working with law enforcement agencies, captured Maduro and his wife in a night-time operation.

Trump Details 'Deadly' Night-Time Raid

While addressing a press conference in Florida, Trump said, "No nation in the world could achieve what America achieved yesterday or frankly, in just a short period of time. All Venezuelan military capacities were rendered powerless as the men and women of our military, working with US law enforcement, successfully captured Maduro in the dead of night."

Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured in Venezuela's Caracas and flown out of their country in a joint operation that also included Intelligence and US law enforcement agencies. "It was dark, and it was deadly, but he was captured along with his wife, Cilia Flores, both of whom now face American justice. Maduro and Flores have been indicted in the Southern District of New York," he said.

To Face Trial for Drug Trafficking, Narco-Terrorism

Trump said that Maduro and his wife "will soon face the full might of American justice and stand trial on American soil" for their alleged role in drug trafficking, adding that they are currently being taken to New York, with authorities to decide later whether the trial will be held in New York or Florida. "We will make the people of Venezuela rich, independent, and safe. The illegitimate dictator Maduro was the kingpin of a vast criminal network responsible for trafficking colossal amounts of deadly and illicit drugs into the United States. Maduro and his wife will soon face the full might of American justice and stand trial on American soil. Right now, they're on a ship that will be heading to, ultimately, New York. And then a decision will be made, I assume, between New York and Miami or Florida," he said.

According to an unsealed indictment shared by Attorney General Pamela Bondi on X, Maduro and Flores face multiple counts of statutory allegations related to "drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies".

Capture Comes Amid Rising Tensions

The capture of Maduro comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Venezuela.

Earlier, Trump released the first picture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on board the US Warship Iwo Jima. In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, US President Trump said, "Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima." (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)