New York City lawmakers are reacting to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who is now being taken to New York.
President Trump said Saturday that Maduro and his wife were aboard the U.S. Iwo Jima and headed to New York, where they were indicted and will be prosecuted.
Travelers at airports in the New York City area were told to anticipate delays after the Federal Aviation Administration announced restrictions on flights from certain regions.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said New York State Police and other law enforcement partners were monitoring the situation, but there are no credible threats to the state at this time.
“This morning I was briefed on the developments in Venezuela with Nicolás Maduro, following President Trump’s flagrant abuse of power by acting without congressional approval. New York is home to a vibrant Venezuelan community, and I stand with families here and abroad in their hopes for a better, more stable future. While there are no credible threats to New York at this time, State Police are coordinating with our partners in law enforcement to monitor the situation and keep New Yorkers safe,” Hochul said.
NYC lawmakers criticize Trump after Maduro’s capture
New York City Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez questioned the Trump administration’s motives for capturing the Venezuelan leader, who it accuses of drug trafficking and narco-terrorism.
“It’s not about drugs. If it was, Trump wouldn’t have pardoned one of the largest narco traffickers in the world last month. It’s about oil and regime change. And they need a trial now to pretend that it isn’t. Especially to distract from Epstein + skyrocketing healthcare costs,” the Democratic congresswoman wrote on X.
Congressman Adriano Espaillat, who represents parts of Upper Manhattan and the Bronx, said on social media he opposes Maduro’s regime, but believes the Trump administration skirted the constitution.
“While I strongly oppose the illegitimate regime of Nicolás Maduro, President Trump’s military action was a serious constitutional violation. The U.S. Constitution explicitly grants Congress the authority to declare war and approval to conduct military action against a sovereign nation,” Espaillat said. “The Trump Administration does not have sole authority to commit such acts, and I reaffirm my position that Congress must be fully informed before the U.S. engages in hostilities towards another nation. I urge for an immediate and full briefing for Members of Congress following ongoing developments in Venezuela and the subsequent long-term consequences in the region.”
Congresswoman Yvette Clarke of Brooklyn accused the White House of kidnapping a sitting president “without Congressional approval and without consideration of any of the consequence.”
“The Trump administration launched a large scale military attack on a sovereign nation and kidnapped its sitting president, without Congressional approval and without consideration of any of the consequences their illegal actions may bring,” the Democratic lawmaker wrote on X. “This act of aggression is unconstitutional, un-American, and a direct threat to our democracy. We cannot stay silent while the rule of law is ignored.”
Rep. Dan Goldman of Manhattan called Maduro’s capture “an illegal act of war.”
“Trump’s unilateral operation last night was an illegal act of war without Congress’s authorization. Maduro is a brutal dictator who has oppressed the Venezuelan people, but our constitution does not yield for bad people,” Goldman wrote on X. “If Congress is to survive as an institution, the Republican majority must join us exercising our power to hold this administration accountable for this flagrant violation of the constitution.”
Bondi says Maduro will face “the full wrath of American justice on American soil”
Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro was indicted in the Southern District of New York on narco-terrorism charges. Bondi added Maduro and his wife “will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.”
In a 2020 indictment against Maduro, federal prosecutors alleged that he and other top Venezuelan officials collaborated with the Colombian guerrilla group Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, or FARC, to traffic cocaine and weapons to the United States.
It was not immediately clear if Bondi was referring to the 2020 charges, or if there would be new charges filed Saturday.
contributed to this report.
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