Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are set to appear today in a Manhattan federal courtroom to be charged with narco-terrorism and drug trafficking. His lawyers are expected to argue his arrest was illegal and that as a sovereign head of state, he’s immune from prosecution. Legal experts expect that argument to fail.
Operation Absolute Resolve, the joint military-law-enforcement arrest of Maduro early Saturday morning, came after the White House said the Venezuelan leader rejected several deals to step down from power.
The operation, led by Delta Force operatives, involved 150 aircraft. Maduro was reportedly captured just as he was trying to close the door on a safe room. The attack killed about 32 Cubans who make up his security forces.
One U.S. helicopter was hit but continued its mission. U.S. officials said that about half a dozen soldiers were injured in the operation.
Venezuelans around the world celebrated. But some U.S. Democratic lawmakers called the arrest of Maduro illegal.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said, “It’s a violation of the law to do what they did without getting the authorization of Congress.”
However, one unnamed House Democrat told the website Axios that fellow Democrats’ opposition to Maduro’s arrest “looks weak.” The lawmaker continued, “If you don’t acknowledge when there is a win for our country, then you lose all credibility.”
Aboard Air Force One, President Trump said the U.S. is “in charge” of Venezuela.
But it appears Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, and other officials of the Maduro administration are in control.
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