Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro arrived in the United States on Saturday to face criminal charges after being captured in a nighttime military operation that President Donald Trump said would allow Washington to temporarily "run" Venezuela and tap its vast oil reserves. Maduro landed late Saturday afternoon at a small airport in New York following the overnight operation that removed him and his wife, Cilia Flores, from their home on a military base in the capital, Caracas — an action Venezuela's government described as "imperialist." The couple faces US charges accusing them of participating in a narco-terrorism conspiracy. The operation capped months of pressure by the Trump administration on Venezuela's autocratic leader and secret planning that resulted in the most assertive US action aimed at regime change since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Legal experts raised questions about the lawfulness of the operation, which was carried out without congressional approval. Venezuela's vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, demanded that the United States free Maduro and called him the country's rightful leader, even as the nation's high court named her interim president. Rodriguez said some Venezuelan civilians and members of the military were killed, without providing a figure. Trump said some US forces were injured but none were killed. Speaking hours after Maduro's capture, Trump said the United States would exploit the leadership vacuum to "fix" Venezuela's oil infrastructure and sell "large amounts" of oil to other countries. After landing in New York's northern suburbs, Maduro was flown by helicopter to Manhattan, where a convoy of law enforcement vehicles was waiting to take him to a US Drug Enforcement Administration office. A video posted on social media by a White House account showed Maduro smiling as he was escorted through the office by two DEA agents. Trump said the United States would "be running" Venezuela until it could be "put back on track," without providing details or a timeline. He also said opposition leader María Corina Machado lacked the support or respect to govern the country. The Trump administration portrayed the operation as necessary to curb the flow of illegal drugs into the United States. Trump also cited potential benefits including a leadership stake in the country and greater control over oil production. Trump said the US government was already helping to run Venezuela, though there were no immediate signs of such control. Venezuelan state television continued broadcasting pro-Maduro programming and aired live images of supporters protesting in Caracas. "We're going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition," Trump said at a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence, calling the operation "extremely successful." Maduro and other Venezuelan officials were first indicted in 2020 on narco-terrorism conspiracy charges. The Justice Department released a new indictment on Saturday describing Maduro's administration as a corrupt and illegitimate government fueled by drug trafficking. The United States does not recognize Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate leader. The operation followed a months-long buildup of US forces in the region and attacks on vessels accused of ferrying drugs in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. US intelligence agencies were also linked to a recent drone strike on a docking area believed to be used by Venezuelan drug cartels. The operation took place 36 years to the day after the US seizure of Panamanian leader Manuel Antonio Noriega. Trump said US forces turned off "almost all of the lights" in Caracas as they moved to extract Maduro and his wife. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said US forces rehearsed the operation for months. Multiple explosions were reported in Caracas as aircraft flew low over the city. Maduro's government accused the United States of striking civilian and military sites and urged citizens to take to the streets. US restrictions on airspace around Venezuela and parts of the Caribbean expired early Sunday, signaling that further immediate military action was unlikely. Under Venezuelan law, Rodriguez would succeed Maduro, though she said she did not intend to assume power before the high court ordered her to serve as interim president. "There is only one president in Venezuela," she said, "and his name is Nicolás Maduro Moros." Caracas remained unusually quiet on Sunday, with many businesses closed and limited traffic on the streets. Armed civilians and members of the military guarded the presidential palace, while daily activity across the capital appeared largely halted a day after Maduro's removal. — Agencies
