Ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro is scheduled to appear in federal court in New York today for arraignment on drug-trafficking and narco-terrorism charges. Prosecutors say Maduro led a 25-year conspiracy tied to cocaine trafficking, with the hearing set for noon in Manhattan federal court. His court appearance follows a U.S. military operation that removed him from power and transported him to the United States. Maduro was taken into custody over the weekend and transferred to a federal detention facility in Brooklyn.
Hours after the operation, President Trump said the United States would temporarily oversee Venezuela and tap its oil infrastructure to sell crude to other nations. The White House framed the move as part of a broader effort to weaken drug networks and stabilize the region. Venezuelan officials denounced the action and demanded Maduro’s release.
