New York leaders, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul, pushed back Saturday against the Trump administration’s plan to bring captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to New York, raising legal and constitutional concerns in a series of public statements.
Why It Matters
In a predawn operation Saturday, U.S. forces struck Caracas and detained Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, acting on orders from President Donald Trump. Trump later shared an image on Truth Social showing Maduro blindfolded and handcuffed aboard the USS Iwo Jima.
Maduro, his wife, and his son have been formally indicted in the Southern District of New York, including on charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy, according to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. Maduro had previously been indicted in March 2020 on similar charges, and in August 2025 the U.S. doubled its bounty to $50 million for information leading to his arrest. Maduro has denied all allegations.
What to Know
Newly inaugurated Mayor Mamdani said he had been briefed on the capture and the plan to hold Maduro and Flores in federal custody in New York City. He sharply criticized the operation, calling it “an act of war and a violation of federal and international law.”
“This blatant pursuit of regime change doesn’t just affect those abroad,” Mamdani said. “It directly impacts New Yorkers, including tens of thousands of Venezuelans who call this city home. My focus is their safety and the safety of every New Yorker.”
Attorney General Bondi said earlier Saturday that Maduro and his wife were being transferred to New York to face prosecution on multiple charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons offenses. “They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” she wrote.
While many Democrats described Maduro as an illegitimate ruler, they also criticized the administration’s actions, questioning the legal basis for the strikes and the lack of congressional authorization.
Governor Hochul echoed those concerns, calling the operation a “flagrant abuse of power” carried out without congressional approval. She emphasized New York’s large Venezuelan community and said state authorities were monitoring the situation, adding that there were “no credible threats to New York at this time.”
What People Are Saying
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the operation “reckless,” warning that military action without a clear plan risks repeating past U.S. foreign policy failures. Representative Hakeem Jeffries similarly cautioned that regional stability cannot be achieved through force alone, citing lessons from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez argued the move was driven by oil interests and regime change rather than drug enforcement. New York Attorney General Letitia James said that while Maduro caused immense suffering in Venezuela, she was “deeply concerned with the administration’s continued abuse of the rule of law.”
Other New York lawmakers and officials, including former councilmember Brad Lander, Representatives Adriano Espaillat and Yvette Clarke, also condemned the action as unconstitutional and called for greater congressional oversight.
What Happens Next
The Associated Press reported that Maduro and his wife arrived in New York on Saturday evening. Authorities have not yet disclosed where he will be held as legal proceedings move forward.
