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Venezuela's deposed dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, arrived at a New York courthouse on Monday, where Maduro is expected to appear before a judge, CNN reported.
Earlier in the morning, Maduro and Flores were transferred from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn to the courthouse. They travelled by a combination of motorcade and helicopter, according to CNN. The two were seen wearing tan outfits and were heavily escorted by armed Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents. As legal proceedings moved forward in New York, developments reverberated beyond the courtroom. Meanwhile, Venezuela's foreign ministry paid tribute to 32 Cuban citizens killed in the US attack on Caracas over the weekend. It said they "gave their lives in the line of duty," CNN reported. In a related legal development, deposed dictator Nicolas Maduro's court-appointed attorney for Monday's initial hearing will be David Wikstrom. A person familiar with the matter told CNN. Maduro's court appearance follows his capture during a military strike on Saturday. In the immediate aftermath, President Donald Trump declared that America is "in charge." At the same time, acting Venezuelan president Delcy Rodriguez called for "cooperation" with the US, signalling a softer response to the attack, CNN reported. US officials have indicated that Washington is working to establish a pliant interim government in Venezuela. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the focus remains on setting policy and maintaining "leverage." During the same period, Trump made a series of broader remarks touching on other international issues. These included implying potential military action in Colombia, urging Mexico to get its "act together" on drugs, and stating that the US "needs Greenland." The developments stem from a pre-dawn US operation inside Venezuela. During the operation, deposed dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were detained and transferred to a US naval vessel before being flown to New York, according to the Trump administration. US authorities have said that deposed dictator Nicolas Maduro is expected to face multiple charges. These include narco-terrorism, drug trafficking and weapons-related offences. The operation followed months of intensified US military activity in the region. Since September, Washington has launched dozens of strikes against vessels it claims were involved in drug trafficking linked to Venezuela. These operations reportedly resulted in more than 115 deaths. This has prompted legal experts to raise concerns over potential violations of international law. US legal action against deposed dictator Nicolas Maduro dates back to President Donald Trump's first term. A superseding indictment unsealed on Saturday added fresh allegations of narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine. Attorney General Pam Bondi said on social media that Maduro and others "will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts". However, President Trump's own remarks added a broader political dimension to the case. Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, he went beyond a law enforcement justification. He stated that the United States would "run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition." Trump also referred to reclaiming American oil interests in Venezuela. (ANI)
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