Maduro and his wife were transported by helicopter from Stewart Air Force Base near New York. According to CNN, they were then separated and placed in custody.
A recording published on social media from inside the Metropolitan Detention Center shows the dictator wearing a black tracksuit and a black cap or headband, walking down a corridor accompanied by two representatives of the anti-drug agency DEA. “Good night, happy New Year,” Maduro said in English.
According to NBC, Maduro will likely make his first court appearance on Monday, when he will formally be charged.
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When will Nicolas Maduro appear in court?
Where were Maduro and his wife detained?
What are the charges against Maduro?
What did Maduro say after his arrest?
Maduro and his wife – and three others from their entourage who remain at large – face four charges, including the most serious charge of participating in a narco-terrorism conspiracy. The former leader is accused of smuggling cocaine to the US for many years, including cooperation with organizations recognized by the US as terrorist organizations: the Colombian FARC and ELN militias, the Mexican Sinaloa and Zetas cartels, and the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. These charges carry a penalty of 30 years to life in prison.
