Trump’s mothers take to the streets:
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Saturday condemned the Trump administration for the US military operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of its president, calling it an “act of war.”
“This morning I was informed of the US military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, as well as their planned imprisonment in federal custody here in New York City,” Mamdani wrote Saturday afternoon on X.
“Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law. This brazen pursuit of regime change not only affects those abroad, it directly impacts New Yorkers,” he continued.
The newly inaugurated mayor noted during a news conference Saturday in Brooklyn that “tens of thousands” of Venezuelans call New York City home, and promised that his administration will “issue relevant guidance” as he continues to monitor rising tensions between Venezuela and the United States.
The Trump administration has accused Maduro of facilitating the flow of narcotics into the United States. He has denied any ties to drug trafficking, but is now accused by Trump’s Justice Department of narcoterrorism and drug trafficking.
Maduro was expected to arrive in New York City on Saturday and would be housed at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center.
The Trump administration has been attacking suspected drug trafficking ships in Caribbean waters near Venezuela since September, killing dozens of people without due process or congressional authorization, in a stated effort to stop the flow of narcotics. The Trump administration has also seized oil tankers from Venezuela, which has the world’s largest oil reserves. When asked last month whether this conflict is really about drugs or also about oil, Trump admitted: “Well, it’s about a lot of things.”
Evan Vucci/News
The president confirmed during an interview Saturday about Maduro’s capture that the United States will be “heavily involved” in “the future” of Venezuela’s oil, calling U.S. oil companies the “largest” and saying during a news conference: “We’re going to get the oil back.”
Mamdani has been an outspoken critic of Trump since the beginning of his mayoral campaign, but met with him after winning the mayoral election and defeating Trump-backed former New York City Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) in an unexpectedly cordial meeting at the White House.
During his victory speech in November, Mamdani promised to fight for his constituents and called Trump a “despot.”