Overview
- Governor Ron DeSantis said Florida is seriously evaluating filing state counts tied to drug smuggling and the alleged sending of Venezuelan criminals to the state.
- DeSantis asserted that Nicolás Maduro freed prisoners who then entered the United States, claiming some, including alleged Tren de Aragua members, ended up in Florida.
- He indicated Miami as a potential venue and emphasized that a Florida case would be distinct from federal proceedings.
- Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured, brought to the United States, and on January 5 pleaded not guilty in the Southern District of New York to narcoterrorism, cocaine import conspiracy, and weapons-related charges.
- Caracas denounced U.S. actions as military aggression, installed an acting president, and sought international recourse, drawing public criticism of Washington from Russia, China, and North Korea.