Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is set to appear in a Manhattan federal court on Monday for arraignment on charges of leading a 25-year narco-terrorism conspiracy, according to sources close to the matter.
The indictment, which was released over the weekend, accuses Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores of participating in a sprawling narcotics trafficking operation that flooded the US with cocaine. Maduro's arrest follows an audacious military operation by Trump administration forces that plucked him from power and removed him from Venezuela on Saturday.
As part of a plan to exploit Venezuela's oil reserves, President Donald Trump announced over the weekend that the United States will run the country at least temporarily and tap its vast oil resources to sell to other nations. The dramatic turn of events capped an intensive Trump administration pressure campaign on South America's most autocratic leader.
Maduro's capture has sparked widespread protests in Venezuela, with some Venezuelans calling for his return as president. His ouster also raised concerns about the legality of the operation and whether it was lawful under international law.
Legal experts are questioning the operation's authority, and Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez demanded that the US release Maduro, claiming he is the rightful leader of the country.
The Trump administration claims that the US government will help run Venezuela until a safe transition can be made. However, there are no immediate signs of this happening, with the streets of Caracas still empty hours after the attack.
In Washington, lawmakers from both parties have raised concerns about the operation's legality and demanded an explanation from the administration on its plan to ensure stability in the region and its justification for taking military action.
Maduro is expected to face charges in a New York federal court on Monday. His lawyer has yet to comment on the allegations against him.
The indictment, which was released over the weekend, accuses Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores of participating in a sprawling narcotics trafficking operation that flooded the US with cocaine. Maduro's arrest follows an audacious military operation by Trump administration forces that plucked him from power and removed him from Venezuela on Saturday.
As part of a plan to exploit Venezuela's oil reserves, President Donald Trump announced over the weekend that the United States will run the country at least temporarily and tap its vast oil resources to sell to other nations. The dramatic turn of events capped an intensive Trump administration pressure campaign on South America's most autocratic leader.
Maduro's capture has sparked widespread protests in Venezuela, with some Venezuelans calling for his return as president. His ouster also raised concerns about the legality of the operation and whether it was lawful under international law.
Legal experts are questioning the operation's authority, and Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez demanded that the US release Maduro, claiming he is the rightful leader of the country.
The Trump administration claims that the US government will help run Venezuela until a safe transition can be made. However, there are no immediate signs of this happening, with the streets of Caracas still empty hours after the attack.
In Washington, lawmakers from both parties have raised concerns about the operation's legality and demanded an explanation from the administration on its plan to ensure stability in the region and its justification for taking military action.
Maduro is expected to face charges in a New York federal court on Monday. His lawyer has yet to comment on the allegations against him.
, but what really gets me is how America just swooped in and took over Venezuela like that 
. I mean, have they thought about the long-term effects on the country and its people? It feels like a classic case of 'we're gonna fix this problem, even if it means stepping in' 
. And what's with all these protests? Is Maduro really that popular or was he just in power for too long? 
I'm guessing someone's gonna have to sort out the mess and figure out a new path forward for Venezuela... but who knows when that'll happen? 
this whole situation with Maduro is soooo complicated 
, i mean one minute he's in charge of Venezuela, next he's being taken away by Trump's military operation 
, and now he's facing 25 years in prison for narco-terrorism 
what a wild ride. 
, it's all about the benjamins baby 
, with protests and legal battles and whatnot 
. i just hope that somehow someway Venezuela can get back on its feet and start working towards a stable future again 
I need some solid sources on this before I start jumping to conclusions. Where's the evidence?
I need more context on this.
. This whole Venezuela situation is getting crazy fast. I mean, who needs a Plan B when you can just swoop in and take over? The US intervention was always gonna happen, but still, this is some wild stuff. My sources say the Trump admin has been working on this for ages, but no one thought it'd actually go down like this.
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I mean, one minute Maduro's leading Venezuela, and the next he's being taken away by the US military? And now he's facing charges for narco-terrorism? 
But on one hand, you gotta admire the audacity of the operation – no one saw that coming! 
The fact that lawmakers are questioning this operation's legality makes me think there might be more at play than meets the eye... 
Can someone just give us a straight answer for once?! 
. i mean, trump's admin has been trying to get him out for years, but now they're just gonna take over the country and run it like their own personal fiefdom? no thanks 
. meanwhile, trump's just sitting over here like he owns the place, tapping into venezuela's oil reserves to sell to whoever wants it 
newsflash dont all of us wish we cud just get rid of ppl in power who r corrupt or doin bad things 2 their countries 
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Let's keep following along and see how it all unfolds 
!
It's gonna be interesting to see how this all plays out... especially if there are indeed concerns about its legitimacy under international law. 
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seems like there's a lot of uncertainty right now with this whole situation unfolding
, you know the one with the crazy good burgers? What's up with Maduro's wife Cilia Flores, she looks like a supermodel 
... anyway, back to Venezuela. Have you ever tried eating arepas from Venezuela? They're literally life changing 
. I was just reading about how they use to make their own oil in Venezuela and now it's all controlled by the US. Like what even is that? 
Anyway, I need to try those arepas again ASAP 
