Overview
- President Donald Trump announced that Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores were captured in Caracas and are being moved to New York aboard the USS Iwo Jima.
- Attorney General Pam Bondi said they face SDNY indictments including narco‑terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons charges.
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the operation as a violation of federal and international law, said he called Trump to register his opposition, and pledged guidance focused on New Yorkers’ safety.
- Democratic leaders including Gov. Kathy Hochul and Sen. Chuck Schumer criticized the action for bypassing Congress, with Schumer and House Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries seeking immediate briefings, while Republicans blasted Mamdani’s stance.
- The U.N. secretary-general voiced concern over respect for international law, as questions mounted over detention in New York and Trump’s statement that the U.S. would temporarily run Venezuela.