Detained President Nicolás Maduro Arrives in New York (VID)

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has arrived in New York following his arrest during a special operation by US forces in Caracas, according to international media reports. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are expected to be brought before a New York court on Monday to face criminal charges.

The aircraft carrying the detained Venezuelan leader landed shortly after midnight Greek time at Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York. Maduro and Flores were apprehended during a pre-dawn operation at their residence in Caracas on Saturday, December 3.

Following their arrest, the couple were transported by helicopter to the US Navy aircraft carrier Iwo Jima and later flown by a civilian Boeing aircraft to New York. Footage broadcast by US media showed heightened security measures across the city.

According to CNN, Maduro and Flores remain at Stewart base, where Flores is undergoing further medical examinations in a hangar, citing a law enforcement official familiar with the case. Images circulating publicly show Maduro disembarking the aircraft in handcuffs.

The BBC reported that Maduro was transferred from the airport by helicopter and van to the offices of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). CBS added that both Maduro and his wife are expected to be moved to federal detention facilities in Brooklyn, specifically the Metropolitan Detention Center in Sunset Park, a federal administrative prison overseen by the US Bureau of Prisons.

So far, there has been no official confirmation regarding Flores’ exact location or where she will be held ahead of Monday’s court hearing. A photograph released by former US President Donald Trump ahead of a press conference was described as the “proof of life” requested by Venezuelan authorities for Maduro. No equivalent update has been provided for his wife.

US prosecutors have reportedly charged Maduro and Flores with weapons and drug trafficking offences on American soil. They are scheduled to appear before a New York court on Monday, January 5.

Meanwhile, a senior Venezuelan official told The New York Times that at least 40 people, including security personnel and civilians, were killed during clashes linked to the US operation in Caracas. These claims have not been officially confirmed by Venezuelan authorities. Former US President Donald Trump stated earlier that no American forces were killed during the operation.

The United Nations Security Council is set to convene an emergency meeting on Monday morning to discuss the US operation, following a request by Venezuela transmitted through Colombia, which recently joined the Council.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva condemned what he described as a “serious violation of Venezuela’s national sovereignty,” criticising US bombings in Caracas and the arrest of Maduro. In a post on X, Lula warned that the actions threatened regional peace and urged the international community, through the United Nations, to respond decisively.

Although Lula was once a close ally of the late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez, his relationship with Maduro has deteriorated in recent years amid disputed elections. Brazil did not recognise Maduro’s third re-election in 2024, nor did it formally recognise the opposition’s victory.

Brazilian officials said the situation along the 2,000-kilometre border between the two countries remains calm. In Maduro’s absence, Brazil has indicated it views Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as Venezuela’s interim president.