Overview
- President Trump said Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores are in U.S. custody aboard a warship en route to New York for prosecution.
- Federal officials and filings describe SDNY cases alleging narco‑trafficking and weapons offenses, with Attorney General Pam Bondi listing charges including narco‑terrorism conspiracy and cocaine importation conspiracy.
- Reuters‑based reporting details months of planning with Delta Force rehearsals in a replica safe house, CIA support on the ground, and a final presidential go‑ahead at 10:46 p.m. EST for Operation Absolute Resolve.
- New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani denounced the capture as an act of war and a violation of federal and international law, while Governor Kathy Hochul said state police are coordinating with local agencies.
- The pair are expected to be held at New York City’s Manhattan Detention Center in Brooklyn, which a CNN legal analyst described as overcrowded and unsanitary.