The plane carrying the captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores landed at Stewart Air Force Base in New York. According to CBS, upon arrival, US law enforcement officers boarded the plane to process the detainees, UNN reports.
Details
According to sources, Maduro is planned to be transferred to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. He is expected to appear before a Manhattan federal court by Monday evening.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that Maduro and his entourage have been charged with narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine into the US, and illegal arms trafficking. These cases have been under consideration by American justice in recent years, and in November, the Trump administration officially recognized Maduro as the leader of a foreign terrorist organization.
Recall
Maduro's capture occurred on the night of January 3 in Caracas during Operation "Absolute Resolve," conducted by elite Delta Force operatives with FBI support.
After their detention, the couple was initially taken to the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima, from where they were subsequently flown to the US.
President Donald Trump, in a statement regarding the event, noted that Maduro "will face the full force of American justice."
Meanwhile, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez issued a video address on state television, in which she called the captured Nicolas Maduro the "only" legitimate president of the country.