Overview
- U.S. prosecutors have charged Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores in the Southern District of New York with narcoterrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and related conspiracy counts.
- Reports describe a U.S. special-operations raid at Fuerte Tiuna in Caracas, followed by a helicopter transfer to the USS Iwo Jima and planned transport via Cuba to New York to face federal charges.
- The photo posted by President Trump shows Maduro with eyes and ears covered, in grey athletic wear and holding a water bottle, which defense experts say aligns with standard detainee-isolation and transfer protocols.
- Front pages across Europe and Latin America featured the image, though The New York Times declined to run the photo; Trump later said in Mar-a-Lago remarks that the United States would “run” Venezuela until an orderly transition and warned of a possible second wave of strikes.
- Regional governments urged restraint and rejected unilateral intervention by the United States, reflecting broader concerns over sovereignty and the use of force.