Nicolas Maduro’s first 5 phrases as he arrives in cuffs at New York detention centre
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was captured by US troops and flown to New York City, where he broke his silence while handcuffed at Brooklyn detention facility
Donald Trump holds news conference after US actions on Venezuela
Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro ended his silence shortly after being ambushed. He spoke as he was surrounded by a heavy presence of local and federal law enforcement officers, nearly 24 hours after US forces seized him during an operation in Caracas.
A convoy of dark SUVs, patrol cars, and white vans departed the area following the arrival of helicopters, with sources confirming Maduro was amongst those transported.
Shortly afterwards, officials transferred the detained Venezuelan leader to another helicopter bound for a detention centre in Brooklyn – reportedly the same facility that previously held notorious figures such as Sam Bankman-Fried. Maduro reached the holding facility just before 9pm on Saturday evening.
“Good night. Happy New Year,” a shackled Maduro said whilst being escorted to his cell by several DEA officers, reports the Express US.
Maduro is due to appear before a federal court next week where he will face numerous charges concerning narcotics trafficking and unlawful arms dealing.
According to CNN’s Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst John Miller, the booking procedure had already begun before Venezuelan president and his wife Cilia Flores stepped off the plane at Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York.
Miller explained that their biometrics, fingerprints, and photos would be collected before their details are entered into the US Customs and Border Protection system.
He further stated that the couple would need to undergo medical examinations prior to being taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center. Here, they will be arrested again before their arraignment, “which will likely be on Monday.”
An official from law enforcement, who has been briefed on the situation, revealed that Flores is still undergoing additional medical checks in a hangar.
Miller indicated that the pair will be classified as Special Administrative Measures inmates at the Metropolitan Detention Center, where they will be held under stringent security measures and possibly separated from each other.
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The New York Police Department confirmed that Maduro arrived at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn just before 9pm, having been flown by helicopter to Manhattan and then escorted by a convoy of law enforcement vehicles.
Sam Bankman-Fried and Sean “Diddy” Combs, two high-profile figures embroiled in major federal cases, have been held at the facility.
After President Donald Trump’s military intervention in Venezuela and the abduction of President Maduro along with his wife Cilia, numerous protests erupted throughout the US on Saturday.
Groups of up to 100 demonstrators took to the streets, shouting slogans and brandishing Venezuelan flags in key cities including Washington, DC, New York, Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
Some protesters endured freezing temperatures and heavy rainfall to express their disapproval of the military intervention.
