The Fall of a Dictator: The Capture of Nicolás Maduro and the U.S. Indictment

 

The Fall of a Dictator: The Capture of Nicolás Maduro and the U.S. Indictment


The global political landscape shifted fundamentally on Saturday, January 3, 2026. In a daring midnight military operation codenamed "Operation Absolute Resolve," U.S. special forces extracted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from Caracas. Today, he sits in a federal cell in New York, awaiting a trial that could redefine international law and the future of South America.

As we process the shockwaves of this extraction, the details of the U.S. Department of Justice’s case and the chaotic atmosphere in Venezuela are coming to light. Here is everything you need to know about this historic arrest.


1. Operation Absolute Resolve: The Midnight Extraction in Caracas

(어솔루트 리졸브 작전: 카라카스에서의 한밤중 압송 작전)

Under the cover of darkness on January 3, U.S. military forces conducted a precision strike on military targets in and around Caracas, followed by a ground raid on Maduro's residence. The operation, authorized by President Donald Trump, resulted in the capture of both Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

The U.S. Department of War described the mission as a "surgical law enforcement operation" designed to bring a fugitive to justice. While the Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez denounced the act as an illegal "kidnapping" and a violation of sovereignty, the U.S. maintains that the operation was necessary to dismantle the Cartel of the Suns, a narco-terrorist organization allegedly led by Maduro.


2. Federal Charges in New York: Narco-Terrorism and Conspiracy

(뉴욕 연방법원 기소: 마약 테러 및 공모 혐의)

Following his extraction, Maduro was flown directly to New York City and is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. On Monday, January 5, he made his first court appearance in a Manhattan federal court, appearing in a blue and orange prison uniform.

The unsealed indictment from the Southern District of New York is staggering. Maduro faces four primary counts:

  • Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy: Allegedly partnering with the FARC to flood the U.S. with cocaine.

  • Cocaine Importation Conspiracy: Coordinating large-scale drug trafficking routes.

  • Possession of Machine Guns: Providing military-grade weapons to drug cartels.

  • Conspiracy to Commit Murders: Allegedly ordering violence against those who undermined his drug operations.


3. The Legal Battleground: "Not Guilty" and the POW Defense

(법적 공방: '무죄' 주장과 '전쟁 포로' 논리)

During his arraignment, Maduro pleaded "Not Guilty" to all charges. In a surprising legal maneuver, Maduro and his defense team have claimed he should be treated as a "Prisoner of War" (POW) under the Geneva Convention, arguing that the U.S. military operation constituted an act of war.

U.S. prosecutors, led by Attorney General Pamela Bondi, have firmly rejected this, categorizing Maduro not as a legitimate head of state but as an indicted criminal and a "narco-terrorist." This legal debate is set to test the boundaries of international immunity and the jurisdiction of U.S. courts over foreign leaders.


4. Geopolitical Shockwaves: Venezuela's Uncertain Future

(지정학적 파장: 베네수엘라의 불확실한 미래)

The removal of Maduro has left a power vacuum in Venezuela. While Delcy Rodríguez has been sworn in as acting president, President Trump has stated that the U.S. will oversee the country until a "safe and judicious transition" to a legitimate replacement can be identified.

The international community is sharply divided. While some Venezuelan diaspora members celebrated in the streets of Miami, the UN Security Council met in an emergency session, with many nations questioning the legality of the U.S. intervention. The focus now shifts to whether the opposition, led by figures like María Corina Machado, can successfully lead the country out of its decade-long economic and social crisis.


English Hashtags:

#NicolasMaduro #Venezuela #MaduroArrest #OperationAbsolute Resolve #USMilitary #NarcoTerrorism #InternationalLaw #Caracas #NewYorkTrial #BreakingNews #TrumpAdministration #SouthAmericaPolitics #Culture & Society

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