Captured Maduro made to perp-walk in custody, he says 'Happy New Year'

The US government releases a video of Venezuela's detained President Nicolas Maduro in handcuffs, as he is moved to New York to face charges

The US government released a video showing captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in handcuffs, staging what American officials described as a “perp-walk” as he was led into custody.

 

In the footage shared on X by Rapid Response 47, Maduro is seen being escorted by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officers inside the agency's headquarters in New York. He briefly acknowledges the camera and says “Happy New Year” before being escorted away.

 

Maduro, along with his wife Cilia Flores, was seized in Caracas during a large-scale US military operation involving intelligence agencies and law enforcement on Saturday. The couple was flown out of Venezuela shortly after their capture, with their aircraft landing at Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York.

 

 

Why is Maduro moved to New York?

 

According to CNN, Maduro is expected to be transferred to the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in New York City, a federal jail that has faced repeated criticism over living conditions, power outages, understaffing and inmate violence.

 

Built in the 1990s to ease overcrowding, the MDC has previously housed several high-profile detainees, including singer R Kelly, former pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli, socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, cryptocurrency founder Sam Bankman-Fried and music producer Sean “Diddy” Combs. Suspected cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia was also held there while awaiting trial.

 

What charges has the US announced against Maduro?

 

Speaking at a press conference in Florida, US President Donald Trump said Maduro and Flores had been indicted in the Southern District of New York on charges linked to alleged drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies.

 

He said the arrests were carried out during a night-time operation that neutralised Venezuela’s military capabilities.

 

“No nation in the world could achieve what America achieved yesterday,” Trump said, adding that the couple would face trial on American soil. Authorities are yet to decide whether proceedings will be held in New York or Florida.

 

What is the political fallout in Venezuela?

 

Hours after the capture, celebrations were reported among sections of Venezuela’s opposition. However, Trump expressed scepticism about opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, saying she “lacked sufficient domestic support” to lead the country.

 

Machado has called for the immediate installation of Edmundo González Urrutia, whom most Western governments regard as the winner of Venezuela’s disputed 2024 election.

 

Meanwhile, Venezuela’s Supreme Court ordered Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to assume the powers of acting president, ruling that Maduro was in a “material and temporary impossibility” to perform his duties.