Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro made his first public appearance in the U.S. after a dramatic capture and extradition that has stunned the world.
Seen yesterday at the DEA headquarters in Manhattan’s Chelsea district, Maduro was dressed in black sweats, a matching cap, and jail-issued flip-flops, holding a water bottle as he shuffled past federal agents. The image of the once-powerful leader in handcuffs quickly went viral, symbolizing the dramatic fall from power.
The audacious operation, ordered by the Trump administration, saw U.S. forces execute a secretive raid in Caracas to extract Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Within hours, the couple was flown to New York, processed at the DEA office, and then transferred by helicopter to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Crowds gathered outside, cheering as news of the capture spread.
“It’s such a joy to see the dictator fall, but the regime hasn’t fallen yet,” said Ronny Chirinos, a Venezuelan immigrant living in New York. “I want everything to collapse. There must be no one left.”
A video clip, quickly dubbed the “Perp walk,” shows Maduro in handcuffs walking into processing, muttering to agents, “Good Night, Happy New Year.” The footage has sparked global attention, highlighting the stark contrast between his former authority and current vulnerability.
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