New York: Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was on Monday brought to New York’s Manhattan federal court in handcuffs to face drug-trafficking charges.
Two days ago, US Special Forces launched strikes on Venezuela’s capital city Caracas, captured Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, and took them to the US where they were indicted for narco-terrorism.
The 63-year-old Maduro and Cilia were lodged in Brooklyn jail following the surprise weekend raid in Caracas.
They will both appear at a hearing scheduled for 12 noon EST (10.30 pm IST) before U.S. District Judge Alvin K Hellerstein. It is not clear if Maduro and his wife have obtained lawyers, or if they will submit any plea.
While the world’s eyes will be on the federal court, equally significant, if not more, will be the UN Security Council debate on the legality of US President Donald Trump’s stunning military operation.
In what was the biggest American intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama, the Trump administration has linked the move to security concerns and Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.
The 15-member UN Security Council called the meeting after the US operation targeted military sites and caused widespread power outages across Caracas. Venezuelan authorities said that the military strike resulted in at least 80 deaths, including 32 security guards from Cuba.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the US mission “a dangerous precedent”. His spokesperson stated that the rules of international law were not respected.
Russia and China were among several countries which accused the United States of breaking international law.
India expressed ‘deep concern’ over the developments in Venezuela.
Several legal experts are of the view that the Trump-directed action was illegal. However, the US can use its veto power to stop any official UN punishment.
