President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro is in custody in New York after being captured during US strikes on Venezuela on Saturday.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were taken out of the capital Caracas to a detention center in Brooklyn to face drug trafficking charges.
Maduro has previously denied being the leader of a drug cartel.
American The Department of Justice charges him with being the leader of a narco-terrorist organization known as the Cartel de los Soles (Cartel of the Suns).
According to the official indictment filed in federal court in New York, Maduro is suspected of the following several crimes.
He is accused of being a narco-terrorist, that is, of conspiring with the Colombian guerrilla group FARC to use cocaine as a "weapon against the United States."
He is also charged with the smuggling of cocaine, that is, the export of thousands of tons cocaine in the US over the past 25 years.
He is accused of possessing and using heavy weapons, including automatic rifles (machine guns) and destructive devices.
Prosecutors allege Maduro used state resources and the military to protect drug shipments and provide secret airstrips for smuggling planes. drug.
The new 2026 indictment includes allegations that he, along with his wife Cilia Flores, led gangs that kidnapped, beat and killed those who interfered with their drug operations
Venezuela has declared a state of emergency and condemns "military aggression".
President of the USA Donald tramp he said America would "lead" Venezuela until a "safe, proper and reasonable transition" could be made.
Trump also stated that American oil companies could repair Venezuela's "destroyed infrastructure" and "start making money for the country."
Protests across the US
Across the United States of America, citizens took to the streets today to protest against the military operation in Venezuela and the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.
While the Venezuelan migrants have had mixed reactions, many Americans are expressing frustration over the potential for war and bloodshed to control oil, CNN reports.
Dozens of people gathered in front of the White House, holding banners that read "No war against Venezuela," "No blood for oil" and "US away from Latin America," as protesters chanted and held Venezuelan flags.
In New York, a large number of citizens gathered in Times Square in front of the US Army Recruiting Office, holding banners against the war in Venezuela.
In Boston, crowds chanted "No more blood for oil - away from Venezuelan soil" and held banners reading "Venezuela is not the problem, the empire is" and "No war against Venezuela", as local activists condemned the armed attack.
In Minneapolis, people gathered despite the very cold temperature, waving the Venezuelan flag and holding banners reading "Free President Maduro."
A protest was also organized in Atlanta, and demonstrations are scheduled for tonight in Chicago and Los Angeles.
Accusations against Trump
Democratic Party leaders today accused President Donald Trump's administration leaders of lying to Congress in classified briefings on Venezuela, alleging that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegsett told members of Congress that regime change was not the goal, reports CNN.
Senate Foreign Relations Representative Jeanne Shaheen warned that Congress was not aware of any "long-term strategy" on Venezuela and noted that the administration had "constantly misled them."
Senator Andy Kim stated that "Secretaries Rubio and Hegsett looked every senator in the eye a few weeks ago and said that regime change is not in the works."
"I didn't believe them then, and now we see that they clearly lied to Congress," he added.
Rep. Jason Crowe, the Democrat on the House Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, also pointed out that "the Trump administration has repeatedly lied to Congress and the American people about Venezuela, because they have said over and over again that this is not about regime change."
Sen. Chris Coons, the top Democrat on the Senate Budget Defense Subcommittee, said lawmakers were constantly getting "false information."
"A military operation to capture and depose a president, even if illegitimate, is an act of war that must be authorized by Congress," Coons said.
Democrats are demanding an urgent briefing on the operation and the administration's plan to deal with the fallout from Maduro's removal.
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