Maduro captured, held in Brooklyn jail as Trump claims U.S. will ‘run’ Venezuela

CARACAS, Venezuela — Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro arrived in the United States late Saturday to face criminal charges after being captured in a surprise nighttime military operation that President Donald Trump said would allow Washington to temporarily “run” Venezuela and exploit its vast oil resources.

Maduro landed at a small airport in New York hours after U.S. forces extracted him and his wife, Cilia Flores, from their residence inside a military base in Caracas. Venezuelan authorities denounced the operation as an “imperialist attack,” while U.S. officials said the couple faces charges linked to a narco‑terrorism conspiracy.

The operation followed months of secret planning and an intensified U.S. pressure campaign against Maduro, marking the most aggressive American effort to force regime change since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Legal experts immediately questioned the lawfulness of the action, which was carried out without congressional authorization.

Venezuela’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, demanded Maduro’s release and declared him the country’s legitimate leader, even as Venezuela’s high court later ordered her to assume the role of interim president under the country’s constitution. Rodríguez earlier said she had no intention of taking power.

Rodríguez said some Venezuelan civilians and military personnel were killed during the operation, though she did not provide figures. Trump said several U.S. troops were injured but none were killed.

Speaking hours after the capture, Trump said the United States would move quickly to stabilize Venezuela, repair its oil infrastructure, and sell “large amounts” of oil to other countries. The administration framed the operation as part of its campaign to curb drug trafficking into the United States, while Trump openly highlighted potential gains in oil access and geopolitical influence.

“We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” Trump said at a news conference at Mar‑a‑Lago. He described the raid as an “extremely successful operation” and warned it should serve as a deterrent to those who threaten U.S. interests.

Maduro and senior members of his administration were first indicted in 2020 on narco‑terrorism conspiracy charges. On Saturday, the U.S. Justice Department released a new indictment against Maduro and Flores, portraying his government as a “corrupt, illegitimate” regime sustained by drug trafficking that allegedly funneled cocaine into the United States. Washington does not recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s president.

In recent months, the U.S. military expanded its presence in the region and targeted vessels suspected of transporting narcotics in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. Last week, the CIA carried out a drone strike on a docking area believed to be used by Venezuelan drug cartels, the first known direct U.S. strike on Venezuelan territory since the campaign began in September.

The raid took place 36 years to the day after U.S. forces captured Panamanian leader Manuel Antonio Noriega in 1990. Trump said U.S. forces disabled much of Caracas’ power grid as they moved in to seize Maduro.

Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said U.S. forces had rehearsed the operation for months, studying Maduro’s routines in detail. “We think, we develop, we train, we rehearse,” Caine said. “Not to get it right, but to ensure we cannot get it wrong.”

Residents reported at least seven explosions in Caracas early Saturday as aircraft flew low over the city. Maduro’s government accused the United States of striking civilian and military facilities and urged citizens to protest. Venezuelan state television broadcast pro‑Maduro messaging and images of supporters rallying in the capital.

U.S. restrictions on airspace around Venezuela and parts of the Caribbean expired early Sunday, a sign that further immediate large‑scale military action was unlikely, according to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

Under Venezuelan law, Rodríguez would succeed Maduro, but she insisted on state television that Maduro remained president. “There is only one president in Venezuela,” she said, “and his name is Nicolás Maduro Moros.”

Maduro has ruled since 2013, following the death of Hugo Chávez. His 2018 reelection was widely criticized after opposition parties were barred from participating. In the 2024 election, authorities loyal to the ruling party declared Maduro the winner, though opposition groups said evidence showed he lost by a wide margin.

Reactions in Venezuela were sharply divided. Some residents protested Maduro’s capture, while others celebrated. In Caracas, Mayor Carmen Meléndez joined demonstrators calling for Maduro’s return. Elsewhere in the city, streets remained largely empty.

“How do I feel? Scared, like everyone,” said Caracas resident Noris Prada. “Venezuelans woke up scared. Many families couldn’t sleep.”

In Doral, Florida, home to the largest Venezuelan community in the United States, crowds waved Venezuelan flags, ate street food, and chanted “Liberty” in celebration.

International concern mounted over the legality of the operation. “There are a number of international legal concepts which the United States might have broken by capturing Maduro,” said Ilan Katz, an international law analyst.

Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S.‑born pontiff, called for an end to violence and urged respect for Venezuela’s sovereignty during his Sunday blessing. The United Nations Security Council, acting on an emergency request from Colombia, scheduled a meeting Monday to discuss the U.S. operation.

In Washington, lawmakers from both parties raised objections, noting that Congress had not authorized the use of military force. Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said he had seen no evidence justifying the action and demanded an immediate briefing on the administration’s legal rationale and plans for regional stability.Maduro Now Held at Brooklyn Jail

After landing in New York, Maduro and Flores were taken into federal custody and transported to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, a federal jail where they are awaiting court proceedings on the narco‑terrorism and related charges they face in the Southern District of New York. MDC Brooklyn has held numerous high‑profile inmates and has drawn attention for its troubled reputation, including past reports of violence, poor conditions, and internal criticism, though authorities say recent improvements have been made.