By Ayomide Otitoju
Venezuela’s deposed president, Nicolás Maduro, is scheduled to appear before a federal judge in New York at noon on Monday, where he will be formally informed of the charges against him, according to court officials.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were taken into custody by United States forces during a pre-dawn operation in Caracas on Saturday and flown to New York. US authorities said the pair will face charges of “narcoterrorism,” linked to allegations of trafficking large quantities of cocaine into the United States.
The development has drawn sharp international reactions. On Sunday, several Latin American countries and Spain issued a joint warning against any external attempt to assume control of Venezuela, following remarks by US President Donald Trump suggesting that Washington would “run” the country and gain access to its oil resources.
In a joint statement, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay and Spain expressed their rejection of the US-led removal of Maduro and voiced concern over “any attempt at governmental control, administration, or outside appropriation of natural or strategic resources” in Venezuela.
Meanwhile, President Trump warned Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, that she would face serious consequences if she failed to cooperate with the United States. “If she doesn’t do what’s right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro,” Trump said in a brief telephone interview with The Atlantic.
The Trump administration said it is prepared to work with elements of Maduro’s former government, provided US objectives are met, including opening Venezuela’s vast crude oil reserves to American investment.
Trump’s remarks came as Rodríguez was confirmed as interim president by Venezuela’s Supreme Court and senior military officials. She struck a defiant tone following the US raid, insisting that Maduro remains the country’s only legitimate leader and declaring that Venezuela is ready to defend its natural resources.
Although Trump has previously criticized US nation-building and regime-change efforts abroad, he said on Saturday that the United States would take charge of Venezuela. In comments to The Atlantic, he described the situation in the country as dire, arguing that “rebuilding there and regime change — anything you want to call it — is better than what you have right now.”
“Rebuilding is not a bad thing in Venezuela’s case,” Trump said, describing the country as a failed state facing widespread crisis.
