Following their capture by U.S. forces in Caracas on January 3, 2026, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and wife Cilia Flores were transferred to New York, facing federal charges of narcoterrorism, drug trafficking, and weapons offenses. The Trump administration plans to oversee Venezuela's transition amid widespread international rejection of the action.
Maduro and Flores arrived at Stewart International Airport in New York on January 3 afternoon, then proceeded to DEA offices in Manhattan before admission to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Initial images depicted Maduro handcuffed in white attire with a calm expression. They are scheduled to appear before federal Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein in the Southern District of New York on January 5, 2026, on 2020 indictments including narcoterrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation, machine gun possession, and ties to FARC and Cartel de los Soles. Legal experts like Enrique Prieto-Ríos predict possible life sentences, while Fabio Humar suggests reductions for cooperation, likely over 20 years.
The Trump administration reiterated plans to administer Venezuela until a 'safe and appropriate' transition, enabling U.S. oil company investments to rebuild infrastructure. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a CBS interview, indicated potential cooperation with current Venezuelan leaders if they align correctly, excluding immediate elections or figures like María Corina Machado, to block influence from China, Russia, and Iran over oil resources.
International backlash intensified: The European Union (26 of 27 members) urged restraint and Venezuelan-led solutions, not recognizing Maduro's election; Hungary abstained. Spain, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay condemned the intervention as a sovereignty violation, calling for dialogue. Colombia's Procuraduría General established a border monitoring table on January 3, demanding bi-hourly human rights reports.
The events disrupted regional travel, with Avianca and Latam suspending flights to Aruba and Curaçao on January 3-4, resuming January 5 after U.S. security clearances.
