Maduro, Handcuffed in Brooklyn: 'Happy New Year'

Post Reply New Topic

On Friday, he was running a country of about 30 million people. On Sunday, deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro was behind bars in Brooklyn. "Happy new year," the handcuffed Maduro said as photographers snapped his photo upon his arrival Saturday at the Metropolitan Detention Center, reports El Pais. See video here. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, now face federal drug-trafficking charges in the US after the dramatic American military operation to seize them. Specifically, they are charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices, per NBC News.

Maduro's first court appearance could be as soon as Monday. In the meantime, US officials will face continued questions about what exactly will unfold in Venezuela after President Trump said the US intended to "run" the country for the near future, per the New York Times. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez called Maduro the country's rightful leader and demanded his release, though Trump suggested Rodriguez would cooperate with the US. "She is essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again. Very simple," Trump said. The president also made a point to say that opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado lacked the "respect" to run the country.