'Captured' Maduro Lands In New York, To Face Trial On 'American Soil' | Visuals Inside

New Delhi: After the United States carried out a massive military operation in Venezuela to ‘capture’ its President Nicolás Maduro on charges of ‘narco-terrorism’, the plane carrying the deposed leader, along with his wife, arrived in Stewart Air National Guard Base, New York. Visuals from the airport showed the President handcuffed, in a blue attire, accompanied by dozens of security personnel. 

Local visuals also showed him being transported by a heavily armed motorcade which dropped him at the DEA office, after a chopper landed him in Manhattan. The visuals come hours after Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López, and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello demanded “immediate proof of life” from the Donald Trump administration regarding Maduro and the south American country's first lady.

Reports suggest that Maduro may be transferred to federal detention in Brooklyn as proceedings against him move forward. US President Donald Trump had earlier indicated that authorities will take a call on whether his trial will be held in New York or Florida.

President Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were ‘captured’ in Caracas and flown out of his country after a joint night-time operation involving US intelligence agencies and the law enforcement.

On Saturday (local time), Donald Trump said that Maduro, and his wife, has been indicted on charges of alleged "drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies" in the Southern District of New York, and will face trial in the United States.

"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," Trump boasted while addressing a press conference in Florida.

"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 went on.

Trump said that the deposed leader and his wife “will soon face the full might of American justice and stand trial on American soil.”

"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.

Meanwhile, in Venezuela, opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado said that the "hour of freedom" has finally arrived.

"Venezuelans, the hour of freedom has arrived. It's TIME FOR FREEDOM! Venezuelans, starting today, Nicolas Maduro faces international justice for the heinous crimes committed against Venezuelans and citizens of many other nations. Given his refusal to accept a negotiated solution, the United States government has fulfilled its promise to enforce the law," Machado said in a post on X.

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