Deposed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro arrived at a New York court on Monday just over 48 hours after being seized in Caracas in a stunning US military operation that paves the way for Washington’s plans to control the oil-rich country. Maduro, 63, and his wife, Cilia Flores, were brought to the Manhattan courthouse under heavy guard to face narcotrafficking charges. Outside, around 40 people protested against the US intervention, while a smaller group expressed support.
The pair were snatched by US commandos in the early hours of Saturday in an assault backed by warplanes and a heavy naval deployment. In a series of shock announcements over the weekend, President Donald Trump declared that the United States is now running Venezuela with an eye to rebuilding and controling its huge but decrepit oil industry. Amid international alarm, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told an emergency UN Security Council meeting that there should be “respect for the principles of sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity.” There was sharp criticism Monday from Mexico, where President Claudia Sheinbaum said the Americas “do not belong” to anyone.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro issued a fiery statement saying that as a former guerrilla fighter he was ready to “take up arms” against Trump. Maduro became president in 2013, taking over from his equally hardline socialist predecessor Hugo Chavez. The United States and European Union say he stayed in power by rigging elections and imprisoning opponents, while overseeing rampant corruption.
Read Full Article on The Mercury
