In a stunning global development, the United States has captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in what U.S. officials describe as a “covert military and law enforcement operation.” The couple is reportedly being flown to New York City to face federal criminal charges, marking an unprecedented moment in modern history.
Multiple U.S. news outlets, including ABC News, confirmed that the detained Venezuelan leader will be processed and held at a federal prison in Manhattan, according to official U.S. statements released late Saturday. Federal authorities say the two will remain in custody pending trial on narco-terrorism and drug trafficking charges filed against Maduro in 2020 by the U.S. Department of Justice.
This historic development makes Maduro the first sitting Latin American president ever removed from power and brought to the United States to face prosecution, sending shockwaves across global diplomatic and political corridors.
According to senior American officials and President Donald Trump, the mission began with air and ground operations in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, early Saturday morning. Witnesses reported explosions, air strikes, and intense aircraft movement before news broke that Maduro and his wife had been captured and flown out of the country.
In a message shared on social media, Trump confirmed the operation, calling it a “successful large-scale strike” carried out in coordination with U.S. law enforcement agencies. While specific details about the transfer, including flight route, timing, and security arrangements, remain classified, U.S. defence sources indicate that Maduro and Flores are expected to arrive in New York under tight security by Sunday morning.
The U.S. Attorney General, Pam Bondi, said in a brief statement that the Venezuelan leader’s case will proceed through the federal judicial system, emphasising that the capture represents a major victory against “international corruption and narco-terrorism.”
Maduro has been under U.S. federal indictment since March 2020, when prosecutors in the Southern District of New York accused him of leading a state-sponsored drug trafficking network, often referred to by U.S. officials as the “Cartel of the Suns.” The charges include narco-terrorism conspiracy, drug smuggling, and weapon-related offences, which the Venezuelan president has consistently denied.
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The involvement of both U.S. military and law enforcement agencies in the operation underscores Washington’s intent to treat the capture not merely as a military victory but as a criminal prosecution of a foreign head of state, a rare and controversial move under international law.
The news has triggered widespread global outcry, especially among Latin American nations and Maduro’s allies, including Cuba, Russia, and Iran, who have condemned the U.S. action as a violation of Venezuelan sovereignty. In contrast, Western officials and opposition figures in Venezuela celebrated the development, calling it a “long-overdue step toward justice.”
The unfolding situation places Washington at the center of one of the most dramatic geopolitical crises in decades, with analysts warning that the fallout could reshape U.S.-Latin American relations for years to come.
