US President Donald Trump has claimed that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are being taken to New York after being captured by US forces, reports UNB.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Trump said Maduro and Flores have been indicted in New York and are being transported to the state by helicopter and ship. He alleged that the Venezuelan leader was responsible for the deaths of many people, including American citizens.
Trump said the operation to capture Maduro had been planned earlier but was delayed due to weather conditions. “The weather has to be perfect,” he said, adding that the mission was launched once conditions improved.
Describing the raid, Trump said Maduro was captured from a location “more like a fortress than a house,” with heavy steel fortifications. He claimed no US soldiers were killed in the operation, though a few were injured and are now in stable condition.
The US president also said he had spoken with Maduro about a week before the operation, urging him to surrender. When that did not happen, Trump said the US carried out what he described as a “surgical and powerful” action.
Trump added that the United States would now be “strongly involved” in Venezuela’s oil sector. He said Maduro’s capture sent a message that the US would no longer allow itself to be “pushed around,” particularly over drug trafficking.
Asked about the political future of Venezuela, Trump said Washington would consider its position regarding opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. He also questioned the legitimacy of Maduro’s election.
