The United States has detained Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and placed him in custody in New York on narco-terrorism charges. China is demanding his immediate release.
On Sunday, China called on the United States to immediately release Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was detained by American security forces in a special operation on Saturday and then taken from Venezuela to the United States. He is due to stand trial in the United States in the coming days on narco-terrorism charges. It was reported by the AFP agency.
- The United States detained Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
- China called for his immediate release and respect for the law.
- Maduro is accused of involvement in narco-terrorism.
“China calls on the United States to ensure the personal safety of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, release them immediately, and stop interfering in Venezuela’s internal affairs,” China’s foreign ministry said in a statement. Beijing described the operation of American forces in Venezuela as a “clear violation of international law.”
Transportation to custody
After being transferred from Venezuela to New York, Maduro was transported by helicopter to Manhattan on Sunday night and then by car to the headquarters of the US Drug Enforcement Administration. From there, he was taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, where he is scheduled to remain until his trial, which is scheduled for next week.
The Metropolitan Prison Center became famous for the detention of several well-known media persons, including rapper R. Kelly, Ghislaine Maxwell, an associate of Jeffrey Epstein, and music producer Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Allegations of narco-terrorism
Washington accuses Maduro of running a vast drug-trafficking network. According to the United States, the so-called The Cartel of the Suns (Cartel de los Soles), which the US designated as a terrorist organization in November. US authorities have offered a $50 million reward for information leading to his arrest. Maduro denies these accusations.
Trump’s message to Venezuela
The operation to detain Maduro was ordered by US President Donald Trump, who announced at a press conference in Florida on Saturday that the United States will temporarily “basically manage” Venezuela until an orderly and safe transfer of power takes place there. At the same time, he did not rule out that the US may, if necessary, undertake further military operations against Venezuela.
