Matzav

Grief spread through the community of the Pnei Menachem Rosh Yeshivah, Rav Shaul Alter, with the sudden passing of Reb Chaim Yaakov Naftali Zilberberg z”l, Friday night. He was 75 years old and collapsed just moments before beginning Kiddush.

Reb Chaim Yaakov Naftali was born on 29 Iyar 5710 to his father, Reb Yitzchak Yissachar Menachem, the publisher of the works of the Mahari”l of Tzintz and son of the renowned gaon Rav Avraham Binyamin, Av Beis Din of Pittsburgh. His mother, Rebbetzin Rivkah Hendel, was known as the “mother” of Yeshivas Yagdil Torah of Ger in Boro Park and was the daughter of the tzaddik Rav Avraham Binyamin Beinish Auerbach, known as the “Yerushalmi Rav,” a grandson of the Imrei Binah and Zais Raanan.

At the age of 14, he traveled alone to Eretz Yisroel to learn in the Ger Yeshivah, where he came under the guidance of the Beis Yisrael of Ger. Upon reaching marriageable age, he married into the family of the mashpia Rav Chaim Mandel of Antwerp, a close emissary of the Beis Yisrael.

For many years he lived on Rothschild Boulevard in Tel Aviv, where he became a trusted confidant of rebbes of the Ruzhiner dynasty. In what was once a vibrant spiritual Tel Aviv, his presence radiated warmth and light. Even as the area’s Torah life diminished, he remained steadfast, operating—devotedly and selflessly—the neighborhood’s only mehadrin kosher grocery, serving a community that had grown increasingly distant.

He later spent several years in Krakow, Poland, where he worked tirelessly to provide tens of thousands of Jews with kosher, nourishing food, coupling practical help with heartfelt warmth and kindness. He was close to the rebbes of Ger, who regarded him as a dignified and trusted figure. The Lev Simcha of Ger once referred to him simply as a “talmid chacham” in a letter to his father-in-law, Rav Mandel.

On one occasion, when Reb Chaim Yaakov went to be menachem avel the Rav Ovadia Yosef, zt”l, the Rav stood in his honor and told those present, “This is the man of chessed of Tel Aviv,” a reference to the quiet acts of righteousness Reb Chaim Yaakov performed through his store.

In recent years he moved to Yerushalayim, where he became one of the pillars and adornments of Rav Shaul Alter’s kehillah and a dignified presence in the Pnei Menachem Beis Medrash. Healthy until his final day, he maintained his regular learning schedule and shiurim right up to the end.

Late Friday night, as he prepared to begin Kiddush, his great heart suddenly stopped, and he was niftar.

He is survived by his children, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who continue along his distinguished path.

The levayah took place at the Pnei Menachem Beis Medrash on Yosef Ziv Street in Yerushalayim, proceeding to the Shamgar funeral home and then to Har HaMenuchos for kevurah.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

President Nicolas Maduro arrived in the United States late Saturday, stepping off a plane at Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York under heavy guard. Dressed in grey clothing and wearing handcuffs, he was escorted by more than a dozen federal agents clad in black.

Authorities said Maduro is expected to be flown by helicopter to Manhattan and then transferred to the Metropolitan Detention Center, a federal facility that has previously held a number of high-profile defendants tied to major criminal cases.

Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump addressed the nation in a press conference focused on the operation that led to Maduro’s capture. Trump said the United States intends to administer Venezuela for the time being, explaining that the US is “going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.”

He elaborated on that position, adding, “We don’t want to be involved with having someone else get in, and we have the same situation that we had for the last long period of years. So we are going to run the country.”

The military action has drawn strong support from US Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who said the events in Venezuela should resonate far beyond Caracas. In an interview with Axios reporter Barak Ravid, Graham said he had discussed the matter with President Trump on Thursday and said the President “has been very clear that he believes there is a drug caliphate in our back yard that need to be taken out. The operation has been formulating for the last couple of weeks.”

Graham warned that the leadership in Havana and Tehran should take note of the US posture. “There is a new sheriff in town. He has put life into the Monroe doctrine. If I were the leader of Iran, I would go pray in the mosque.”

Describing the next phase in Venezuela, Graham told Ravid that “the process of liberation” is now underway and emphasized that “it is in America’s interest to see it succeed. We need to help the people to start fresh.”

When asked whether additional US military action inside Venezuela could follow, Graham responded bluntly: “All options will be on the table.”

{Matzav.com}

Former Israeli Supreme Court President Aharon Barak delivered a sharply worded address overnight, declaring that Israel can no longer be described as a liberal democracy, three years after the launch of the judicial reform initiative.

Barak spoke at a demonstration held against the backdrop of upcoming elections, marking three years since the start of the judicial overhaul promoted by the political right. The rally was organized by left-wing groups, with Barak serving as the keynote speaker.

In his remarks, Barak argued that the erosion of Israel’s democratic character did not occur in a single dramatic moment, but rather through a prolonged process. “We are no longer a liberal democracy, and this did not happen in one dramatic, one-time event. It is a process in which essential components of democracy are under severe attack, and democracy is being weakened,” he said.

Barak went on to describe what he called an unprecedented concentration of power. “Our system of government today is rule by a single political authority that is effectively controlled by one person. That person controls the government and controls the Knesset. That person is the prime minister,” he stated.

Turning directly to the judicial reform, Barak said the effort was aimed at neutralizing the only institution capable of restraining governmental power. “For this control to be complete, it is necessary to take over the one body that can oversee the government — the court. It is no surprise that the first stage of the regime change focused on appointing judges and on their power to invalidate legislation and government actions. When the court is ‘ours,’ the rule of law will no longer exist in government. In its place will come rule by the government through law.”

Barak also leveled criticism at law enforcement authorities, accusing the police of improper conduct. “The police are exercising their power in an unequal and unrestrained manner,” he said.

Despite his bleak assessment, Barak concluded with a call to public action, emphasizing that the judiciary alone cannot halt what he described as democratic decline. “The court, on its own, will not be able over time to prevent our deterioration. Only the people — who stand at the center of liberal democracy — can stop it. Each of us must take hold of the flag of the state, raise it high, and thereby express loyalty to the state and not to its rulers, to the rule of law and not to the rule of the ruler.”

{Matzav.com}

The United Nations Security Council is set to meet on Monday following the dramatic US military action in Venezuela that resulted in the removal of longtime President Nicolas Maduro from power, according to Reuters.

The request for the emergency session came from Colombia, with support from Russia and China, diplomats said. The 15-member council has already held two meetings in recent months — in October and December — as the standoff between Washington and Caracas steadily intensified.

US President Donald Trump said yesterday that the United States would administer Venezuela “until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.” How that oversight would function in practice has not yet been spelled out.

Strong criticism was delivered by Venezuela’s ambassador to the United Nations, Samuel Moncada, who addressed the Security Council in a sharply worded letter. “This is a colonial war aimed at destroying our republican form of government, freely chosen by our people, and at imposing a puppet government that allows the plundering of our natural resources, including the world’s largest oil reserves,” he wrote.

Moncada further argued that Washington’s actions were in direct violation of the UN Charter, citing its provision that “All members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.”

Concerns were also voiced by the office of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. His spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said the overnight operation amounted to “a dangerous precedent.” He added, “The Secretary General continues to emphasize the importance of full respect – by all – of international law, including the UN Charter. He’s deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected.”

The United States, for its part, rejected accusations that the move constituted an unlawful seizure of power. US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz defended the action on Saturday in a social media post, stating, “This is not regime change this is justice. Maduro was an indicted, illegitimate dictator that led a declared Narco-terrorism organization responsible for killing American citizens.”

{Matzav.com}

LISTEN:

​​For more info, email bitachon4life@gmail.com.

LISTEN:

Ninety-two-year-old Senior United States District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein – an Orthodox Jew – will preside over the criminal case against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, placing one of the most consequential international prosecutions in recent years in the hands of one of the federal judiciary’s most senior jurists.

Judge Hellerstein, who has served on the Manhattan-based federal bench for more than a quarter-century, is among the oldest active federal judges in the country. He took senior status in 2011 after being appointed to the court in 1998 and continues to hear major cases in the Southern District, which is widely regarded as the most powerful federal prosecutor’s office in the United States.

The assignment has drawn attention not only because of Hellerstein’s age and judicial stature, but also because he is an Orthodox Jew, a personal background that has long been publicly known but is rarely highlighted in connection with such a high-profile international criminal case.

Maduro faces sweeping federal charges related to narcotics trafficking, terrorism-linked offenses, corruption, and other serious crimes. The case has major geopolitical implications and has been closely watched since the charges were first unsealed by U.S. prosecutors several years ago. With Maduro now in U.S. custody, the proceedings are expected to move forward in Manhattan federal court.

Judge Hellerstein brings extensive experience with complex, politically sensitive, and historically significant litigation. Over the years, he has presided over major financial cases, terrorism-related litigation, and nationally prominent civil actions, including consolidated lawsuits arising from the September 11 attacks. He is known for detailed rulings, firm courtroom management, and a methodical approach to evidentiary and procedural issues.

Born in New York City in 1933, Hellerstein earned his undergraduate and law degrees at Columbia University before serving in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps. He later spent decades in private practice before joining the federal bench, where he quickly became a central figure in the Southern District’s docket.

In addition to his judicial career, Hellerstein has long been active in Jewish communal and educational life, being a shomer Torah umitzvos while serving in senior public office. His role in the Maduro case places that personal background alongside one of the most prominent prosecutions ever handled by the Southern District of New York.

{Matzav.com}

Hundreds of cheering onlookers gathered near the Brooklyn detention facility Saturday night as Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, arrived under heavy guard, celebrating what many viewed as a historic moment following the Venezuelan leader’s capture.

Among the crowd was Ronny Chirinos, a Venezuelan national who moved from Maracay to New York three years ago to escape the Maduro government. Watching the scene unfold, he said, “It’s such a joy to see the dictator fall, but the regime hasn’t fallen yet.” He added, “I want everything to fall. That there is no one left.”

The couple had been seized earlier that day in Caracas during a dramatic overnight US operation. After being taken out of Venezuela, they were flown to New York Saturday night to face federal narco-terrorism and related charges in the Southern District of New York.

Upon landing, Maduro and Flores were brought to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York headquarters for processing. From there, they were transported by helicopter past the Statue of Liberty to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where the celebrating crowd had already assembled.

Video and photographs released by the White House on X later showed Maduro inside the DEA facility in Manhattan, marking his first public appearance since his capture. The footage, labeled “Perp walk,” depicts him in handcuffs, wearing black sweatpants, a black hat, white socks, and jail-issued flip-flops, clutching a water bottle as agents escorted him through the Chelsea building.

Despite the circumstances, Maduro appeared oddly cordial in the footage, audibly greeting agents with “Good Night, Happy New Year,” and at another point wishing them a “Happy New Year,” according to the video.

Outside the Brooklyn lockup, the mood was loud and triumphant. Revelers praised President Trump for authorizing the high-risk military mission, chanting slogans including “down with the dictator” and “dirty scumbag” as news spread of Maduro’s arrival.

Maduro and Flores are expected to make their first appearance in federal court as early as Monday.

{Matzav.com}

Following a public outcry over a petition calling on donors to withhold funding from certain yeshivos if they criticize the IDF, the group behind the initiative has issued a clarification letter conceding that the effort led to division rather than unity and announcing that the initiative is being shut down.

The clarification was released by the “Coalition of Talmud Torah & Security (CTTS)” after widespread criticism within the Torah world. In the statement, the organizers acknowledged that the media attention surrounding the petition undermined their stated goal of promoting unity among Klal Yisroel.

“We recognize that the media attention to the Petition dated January 1, 2026, released earlier this week, may have caused more division than unity,” the letter states. “That is contradictory to the purpose and goal of the Coalition, which is to promote ‘achdus’ and unity within Klal Yisroel.”

The donors emphasized that the campaign was never intended to weaken the Torah world and stressed that the initiative is now being closed.

“Accordingly, we want to clarify that our chief mission is to promote ‘achdus’ and unity within the Jewish community around the world,” the letter continues. “We wholeheartedly support and endorse all Torah institutions around the world, as Talmud Torah is the beacon of light to the world and the very source for all protection and prosperity of the Jewish nation.”

Sources familiar with the matter told Matzav.com that Alan Leibowitz of Flatbush, one of the central figures behind the initiative, held extended discussions with the nosi of Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin, Rav Avraham Fruchthandler, who explained the realities facing the Torah world in Eretz Yisroel and the pressures endured by families whose sons are learning Torah under difficult circumstances.

Askanim in the United States were reportedly quick to welcome the clarification. In private conversations, they noted that “our responsibility now is to bring them closer,” expressing appreciation for the donors’ decision to step back and reassess.

In their letter, the coalition also expressed public gratitude to Israeli soldiers, emphasizing unity rather than division at a time of rising antisemitism worldwide.

“We also want to extend our immense ‘hakaras hatov’ to the brave soldiers of the IDF who risk their lives every day to serve and protect the people of Israel and the Jewish nation,” the statement reads. “We continue to daven and pray for their success and safety.”

The letter further stresses the need for internal cohesion in the face of external threats.

“We are all members of one faith and we must come together to build each other up, especially during a period of rapid antisemitism growing around the world,” the coalition wrote. “As a nation strongly committed to the success and growth of our people, we must all think about the future of Am Yisroel and how we can promote same. There is a way, if we want it; we just need to really want it.”

The statement concludes with a call for responsible dialogue and reflection, reiterating that the coalition remains focused on unity.

“We are positioned and driven to the mission of ‘achdus’ and we remain committed to the task. We welcome and encourage further thought and discussion on the matter,” the letter concludes. “With Hashem’s help, may we be fortunate to see the Geulah b’karov.”

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee issued a sharp rebuke on Monday night after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani publicly criticized the U.S. operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.

Reacting to Mamdani’s comments, Huckabee wrote, “I pity the people of New York for electing a mayor who sides with a drug trafficker and ally of Iran and Hezbollah rather than his constituents.” He added, “Will he and Sen. Van Hollen go to Maduro’s jail cell to sip margaritas for solidarity?”

Earlier in the day, Mamdani said he had been briefed on the overnight U.S. military action and its aftermath, writing, “I was briefed this morning on 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.”

The mayor went on to condemn the operation itself, stating, “Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law.”

Mamdani further argued that the consequences extend beyond foreign policy, saying, “This blatant pursuit of regime change doesn’t just affect those abroad, it directly impacts New Yorkers, including tens of thousands of Venezuelans who call this city home. My focus is their safety and the safety of every New Yorker, and my administration will continue to monitor the situation and issue relevant guidance.”

{Matzav.com}

Over the course of a single night, global politics and energy economics appeared to enter uncharted territory, as Venezuela — holder of the world’s largest proven crude oil reserves — was abruptly placed at the center of an extraordinary projection of American influence.

With an estimated 303 billion barrels of proven reserves, Venezuela’s vast oil wealth has long been recognized as strategically significant. That reality took on new urgency after a U.S.-led operation resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, followed by President Donald Trump’s declaration that the United States would be “very strongly involved” in the country’s oil sector. The statement reverberated across energy markets and diplomatic capitals around the world.

At roughly $57 per barrel, Venezuela’s reserves are valued at about $17.3 trillion. Even at a steep discount — half of current market prices — the oil would still be worth nearly $8.7 trillion, exceeding the total economic output of every nation except the United States and China, and dwarfing Japan’s GDP by nearly four times.

Trump outlined his vision during a December 3 press conference, describing a U.S. role that would extend beyond security into direct economic management. He said major American oil companies would enter Venezuela, commit billions of dollars to rehabilitating what he called the country’s “badly broken” oil infrastructure, and restart large-scale production.

“We’re going to have our very large US oil companies — the biggest anywhere in the world — go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country,” Trump said. “We’re in the oil business. We’re going to sell it to them.”

Under the plan Trump described, U.S. companies would front the costs of rebuilding Venezuela’s oil facilities, with future oil revenues used to repay those investments.

“The money coming out of the ground is very substantial,” he said. “We’re going to get reimbursed for everything that we spend.”

Trump also revealed that U.S. forces had been prepared to launch a second, larger military operation if circumstances demanded it, though he said that step was not ultimately required. He made clear that he was not ruling out American troop deployments.

“We’re not afraid of boots on the ground. We’re going to make sure the country is run properly,” he said.

For decades, Venezuela’s oil has represented both immense promise and persistent peril. Despite its unmatched reserves, the country’s production collapsed amid sanctions, corruption, underinvestment, and political instability. Aging infrastructure and the mass departure of skilled workers reduced output to a shadow of its former capacity, leaving what should have been an energy powerhouse mired in economic ruin.

Trump’s remarks point to a sharp break from that decline, with Venezuela potentially administered by the United States alongside a “group” of partners for an extended period. Under that model, oil revenues would underwrite governance, reconstruction, and economic recovery.

The scenario has reignited long-simmering debates over sovereignty, intervention, and control of natural resources. Critics argue the move risks resurrecting the legacy of U.S. interventionism in Latin America, while supporters contend it reflects a new era of energy geopolitics, where access to strategic resources eclipses traditional diplomatic constraints.

Should U.S. firms succeed in reviving Venezuela’s oil production, the consequences for global energy markets could be far-reaching. A surge of Venezuelan crude could disrupt OPEC’s internal balance, exert downward pressure on prices, and reshape the strategic calculations of major producers including Saudi Arabia and Russia.

Beyond oil markets, the sheer magnitude of the resource now at stake is difficult to overstate. Trillions of dollars in reserves — exceeding the annual economic output of nearly the entire world — have become central to U.S. strategic thinking virtually overnight. As Trump summed it up, “We’re going to get the oil flowing.”

{Matzav.com}

Following the U.S. operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier today, Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a pointed warning aimed squarely at Cuba’s leadership.

Speaking at a press conference at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Rubio suggested that officials in Havana should be uneasy in light of the day’s events.

“So, yeah, look, if I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I’d be concerned at least a little bit,” Rubio said.

WATCH:

Rubio accused Cuba of exercising deep and corrosive influence over Venezuela’s security apparatus, claiming that Maduro’s protective detail and intelligence services were heavily staffed by Cubans.

“He claimed Maduro’s guards and Venezuela’s ‘whole spy agency’ were ‘full of Cubans,’ and that ‘this poor island took over Venezuela.’”

“In some cases, one of the biggest problems Venezuelans have is they have to declare independence from Cuba,” Rubio added. “They tried to basically colonize it from a security standpoint.”

The secretary went further, lashing out at Cuba’s leadership, saying the country is “run by incompetent, senile men, and in some cases not seen now, but incompetent nonetheless.”

Before Rubio addressed reporters, President Trump also referenced Cuba while outlining his administration’s regional outlook, saying the United States “wants to surround ourselves with good neighbors,” but cautioning that Cuba is “not doing very well right now” and describing it as a “failing nation.”

“It’s very similar in the sense that we want to help the people in Cuba, but we want to also help the people who are forced out of Cuba and living in this country,” Trump said.

{Matzav.com}

Compensation will be paid by the BBC to the Horenstein family of Netiv Ha’asara after a BBC news team entered their private residence in the aftermath of the October 7 massacre.

The incident occurred in the days immediately following the attack, when a BBC crew that included International Editor Jeremy Bowen went into the family’s home without authorization, the broadcaster acknowledged.

According to a report by Jewish News, the BBC agreed to pay the family 120,000 shekels in compensation for the unauthorized entry.

Tzeela Horenstein described the experience in stark terms, saying, “Not only did terrorists break into our home and try to murder us, but then the BBC crew entered again, this time with a camera as a weapon, without permission or consent. It was another intrusion into our lives. We felt that everything that was still under our control had been taken from us.”

During the October 7 assault, the Horenstein family survived only because their door became jammed when terrorists attempted to blow it open with explosives. At the time the BBC crew entered the house, extended family members still did not know whether those inside had survived the attack.

{Matzav.com}

Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were transported into New York City tonight following their seizure by U.S. forces during a covert overnight mission carried out earlier today.

After arriving at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, upstate New York, shortly before 5 p.m., the couple was transferred by helicopter to a heliport in Lower Manhattan, touching down just before 7 p.m. From there, they were placed into a van and escorted away in a small motorcade.

Maduro is expected to make his first appearance in federal court as soon as Monday.

{Matzav.com}

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today unveiled a significant reshaping of his government, installing two of the country’s most prominent wartime figures in roles central to Kyiv’s military and political decision-making as the conflict with Russia continues.

Zelensky named Mykhailo Fedorov, widely known as Ukraine’s “drone czar,” as the country’s new minister of defense, while appointing intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov to lead the presidential office, a position comparable to a White House chief of staff.

Fedorov, 34, has served since 2019 as deputy prime minister and minister of digital transformation, where he became a driving force behind Ukraine’s early adoption of drone warfare and the rapid digitalization of state and defense systems after Russia’s invasion. He replaces Denys Shmyhal, the former prime minister who assumed the defense portfolio in July.

“Mykhailo is deeply involved in the issues related to the Drone Line and works very effectively on digitalizing public services and processes,” Zelensky said. “Together with all our military, the army command, national weapons producers, and Ukraine’s partners, we must implement defense-sector changes that will be of help.”

Budanov, 39, accepted his new post in a statement on X, describing the role as an “honour and a profound commitment, especially at this decisive moment in our country’s history, to focus on issues critical to Ukraine’s strategic security.”

A decorated lieutenant general, Budanov has led Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence since August 2020 and has become one of the most recognizable figures of the war, credited with overseeing daring covert operations far behind Russian lines.

The moves underscore Zelensky’s continued shift away from the civilian-heavy leadership that characterized Ukrainian politics before Russia’s February 2022 invasion, toward a team dominated by military and security professionals.

Both Fedorov and Budanov enjoy strong public support in Ukraine and are well regarded among Western officials.

Just days ago, Ukrainian intelligence released footage showing Budanov speaking with Denis Kapustin, a far-right Russian militant and outspoken opponent of Vladimir Putin, following an operation that staged Kapustin’s supposed assassination by drone.

The ruse prompted the Kremlin to unknowingly pay out a $500,000 bounty before Ukraine revealed that Kapustin was alive. Kapustin founded the Russian Volunteer Corps, an anti-Putin group established in 2022 that later carried out cross-border raids into Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk regions.

Budanov also oversaw “Operation Spider Web,” during which Ukraine positioned 117 drones near five Russian military airfields deep inside the country, destroying more than a dozen nuclear-capable long-range bombers and damaging two dozen additional aircraft.

In another operation earlier this year, Ukrainian intelligence agents planted explosive devices inside Russian virtual reality goggles used by drone pilots. The devices detonated during use, blinding and injuring dozens of operators.

Budanov will be succeeded as intelligence chief by Oleh Ivashchenko, who previously headed Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service.

The political shakeup comes amid renewed diplomatic tension, as Vladimir Putin has sought to undercut President Trump’s peace efforts with Kyiv. Earlier this week, Putin told Trump that one of his residences had been attacked — a claim later dismissed by CIA officials, who said the incident never occurred.

Trump appeared to echo that assessment on New Year’s Eve by sharing a link to a New York Post editorial arguing that Putin was likely fabricating the claim to obstruct negotiations.

The appointments also follow Russian missile strikes that wounded at least 16 civilians in residential areas of Kharkiv, and warnings from Ukrainian intelligence that Moscow may attempt a large-scale “false flag” attack in the coming weeks using Western-made drones to “falsify evidence of Ukraine’s involvement.”

Budanov replaces Andriy Yermak, who resigned from the presidential office in November after authorities searched his home as part of a corruption investigation. Yermak had previously led Ukraine’s negotiating team in talks with the Trump administration over a potential peace framework.

No charges have been filed against Yermak, who told The New York Post that he intended to head to the “front lines” to join Ukraine’s war effort.

Since Yermak’s departure, national security adviser Rustem Umerov has led Kyiv’s delegation in the negotiations. It was unclear today whether Umerov will continue in that role or yield prominence to Budanov under the new structure.

President Donald Trump said today that the United States will temporarily assume control of Venezuela after U.S. forces carried out a sweeping military operation that bombed sites across the country and captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, flying them to the United States to face criminal charges.

Speaking at a press conference in Florida, Trump said Washington would oversee Venezuela during a transition period, arguing that immediate control was necessary to prevent another disastrous outcome.

“We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition” to new leadership, Trump said, adding that officials would be appointed to manage the process, though he did not specify who they would be.

Trump said the U.S. could not risk allowing a successor to emerge who would perpetuate the same conditions that existed under Maduro.

“We can’t take a chance that somebody else takes over Venezuela that doesn’t have the good of the Venezuelan people in mind,” Trump said.

The president warned that additional military action remained an option if conditions on the ground required it.

“We are ready to stage a second and much larger attack if we need to do so. So we were prepared to do a second wave if we need to do so,” he said.

Asked whether U.S. control of Venezuela could involve American troops on the ground, Trump was blunt.

“We’re not afraid of boots on the ground,” he said, adding, “We don’t mind saying it, but we’re going to make sure that that country is run properly. We’re not doing this in vain.”

Trump confirmed that Maduro and his wife were headed to New York, where the Venezuelan leader has been indicted. Maduro arrived in New York this afternoon and could appear in court as early as Monday.

Trump said Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez “was sworn in as president just a little while ago” and had spoken with Secretary of State Marco Rubio in what he described as a “gracious” conversation. Hours later, however, Rodriguez appeared on state television demanding Maduro’s release.

“We demand the immediate liberation of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores,” she said, calling Maduro “the only president of Venezuela.”

The remarks were delivered at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, where he was joined by senior advisers including Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

U.S. officials said the operation had been in preparation for months and unfolded over several hours. The administration described it as part of a broader campaign to halt narcotics flowing into the United States, coming just weeks before the first anniversary of Trump’s second inauguration.

Two U.S. officials familiar with the planning told NBC News today that Trump approved the military and law enforcement actions more than a week ago.

Caine said military forces waited days for favorable weather conditions before executing the mission.

“Weather in Venezuela is always a factor this time of the year, and over the weeks through Christmas and New Year’s, the men and women of the United States military sat ready, patiently waiting for the right triggers to be met and the president to order us into action,” Caine told reporters.

“Last night, the weather broke just enough, clearing a path that only the most skilled aviators in the world could maneuver through,” he added.

Caine said Trump gave the final order at 10:46 p.m. ET Friday night. U.S. forces reached Maduro’s compound by 1:01 a.m. ET today and were back over open water with Maduro and his wife by 3:29 a.m.

Trump said he watched the mission live from Mar-a-Lago and described Maduro’s attempt to reach a reinforced safe room as U.S. forces closed in.

“He was trying to get to a safe place, which wasn’t safe, because we would have had the door blown up in about 47 — I think, 47 seconds,” Trump said. “It was a very thick door, a very heavy door, but he was unable to get to that door. He made it to the door. He was unable to close it.”

Caine said multiple types of aircraft and remotely piloted drones were used to protect helicopters and personnel during the operation. He said U.S. helicopters came under fire and American forces “replied to that fire with overwhelming force in self-defense.”

One U.S. aircraft was damaged but remained airworthy, Caine said. Later today, one U.S. official and one White House official told NBC News that several American troops were injured during the operation, all of whom are in stable condition.

Vice President JD Vance participated in the planning, according to a spokesperson.

“The vice president joined several late night meetings via secure video conference with National Security principals leading up to the operation,” the spokesperson said.

The strike marked the climax of months of escalating rhetoric and pressure from Trump and his administration toward Maduro. Conducted without congressional authorization, the operation immediately sparked sharp reactions on Capitol Hill. Trump said U.S. oil companies were ready to move into Venezuela.

“We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country,” he said.

Trump argued that managing Venezuela would not cost the U.S. taxpayer.

“It won’t cost us anything, because the money coming out of the ground is very substantial,” he said.

He later added, “We’re going to be taking out a tremendous amount of wealth out of the ground, and that wealth is going to the people of Venezuela and people from outside of Venezuela that used to be in Venezuela, and it goes also to the United States of America in the form of reimbursement for the damages caused us by that country.”

Rodriguez accused Washington of pursuing regime change solely to seize Venezuela’s resources.

The U.S. “only had one objective: regime change in Venezuela. And that this regime change allows them to capture our energy resources, mineral resources and natural resources,” she said.

Minutes before Trump addressed reporters, he posted on Truth Social an image appearing to show Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima wearing a blindfold and holding a bottle of water, along with a video of U.S. strikes set to “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said on X that Maduro would “face the full wrath” of the American justice system.

An indictment unsealed today charges Maduro with narco-terrorism conspiracy, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.

Prosecutors allege in the indictment that Maduro “is at the forefront of that corruption and has partnered with his co-conspirators to use his illegally obtained authority and the institutions he corroded to transport thousands of tons of cocaine to the United States.”

They further allege that Maduro and other officials sold passports, provided protection and facilitated the movement of massive quantities of illegal drugs through Venezuelan ports, including shipments linked to Mexican drug cartels.

Trump said he reviewed the evidence underlying the charges and blamed Maduro for crime and drug trafficking affecting the United States.

“I’ve seen what we have. It’s both horrible and breathtaking that something like this could have been allowed to take place for many years after his term as president of Venezuela expired,” Trump said. “Maduro remained in power and waged a ceaseless campaign of violence, terror and subversion against the United States of America, threatening not only our people, but the stability of the entire region.”

Maduro was first indicted in 2020 during Trump’s first administration. He rose to power in 2013 and was sworn into a third term one year ago, despite evidence he did not win the previous election.

At the United Nations, spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said today that Secretary-General António Guterres was “deeply alarmed by the recent escalation in Venezuela” and warned the U.S. action carried “potential worrying implications for the region.”

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year, praised the operation, writing, “Venezuelans, the hour of freedom has arrived.”

In the United States, Trump’s supporters hailed the strike as a blow against drug trafficking and lawlessness, while Democratic leaders accused the president of bypassing Congress and questioned whether the action aligned with an “America First” agenda.

Trump has repeatedly suggested intervention in Venezuela in recent months. Last month, he told NBC News, “I don’t rule it out,” when asked about war with the country.

Days earlier, he announced a blockade of “sanctioned” oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. Last month, the U.S. seized two oil tankers off Venezuela’s coast, and U.S. forces continued strikes on vessels accused of carrying drugs in the Caribbean.

One day before his capture, Maduro said on state television that he was open to cooperation with the U.S. on narcotics enforcement.

“The U.S. government knows, because we’ve told many of their spokespeople, that if they want to seriously discuss an agreement to combat drug trafficking, we’re ready,” Maduro said.

Today, Democratic lawmakers criticized the administration for acting without congressional approval.

“Maduro is an illegitimate ruler, but I have seen no evidence that his presidency poses a threat that would justify military action without Congressional authorization,” Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut said.

Sen. Andy Kim of New Jersey added, “Trump rejected our Constitutionally required approval process for armed conflict because the Administration knows the American people overwhelmingly reject risks pulling our nation into another war.”

Trump dismissed the criticism during a phone interview with Fox News, calling Democrats “weak, stupid people.”

“As far as last night is concerned, it was really genius. What they did is genius, and the Democrats, maybe they’ll take a shot, you know? They’ll take a shot. All they do is complain,” he said. “They should say, ‘You know what, we did a great job.’ … They do say, ‘Oh, gee, maybe it’s not constitutional.’ You know, the same old stuff that we’ve been hearing for years and years and years.”

Rubio defended the lack of advance notice to lawmakers.

“This is not the kind of mission that you do congressional notification,” he said. “On a trigger-based mission in which conditions had to be met night after night, we watch them monitor that for a number of days. So it’s just simply not the kind of mission you can call people and say, ‘Hey, we may do this at some point in the next 15 days.’”

Trump said lawmakers were not notified in advance because “Congress has a tendency to leak.”

Two U.S. officials told NBC News that details of the operation were so tightly held that even the Pentagon was not informed of its precise timing until late last night.

House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the action, writing on X, “Today’s military action in Venezuela was a decisive and justified operation that will protect American lives.”

Sources told NBC News that top lawmakers on the House and Senate intelligence committees were briefed after the operation was already underway, including both Republican chairs and Democratic ranking members.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said today that he spoke with Rubio and expects additional briefings next week.

“I spoke to Secretary Rubio early this morning, and I look forward to receiving further briefings from the administration on this operation as part of its comprehensive counternarcotics strategy when the Senate returns to Washington next week,” Thune said.

In November, a bipartisan Senate effort to require congressional approval for future military action in Venezuela fell short of passage. The push followed the administration’s release of declassified footage showing U.S. strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats.

In October, Trump said those strikes were part of his fight against cartels and suggested he did not need a declaration of war.

“Well, I don’t think we’re going to necessarily ask for a declaration of war. I think we’re just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country. OK, we’re gonna kill them. You know, they’re gonna be like, dead,” he said at the time.

Trump repeated those claims today, saying, “The Maduro regime emptied out their prisons, sent their worst and most violent monsters into the United States to steal American lives, and they came from mental institutions and insane asylums. They came from prisons and jails.”

A source familiar with intelligence operations said today that a small CIA team had been operating inside Venezuela since August, providing “extraordinary insight” into Maduro’s movements and making his capture “seamless.”

Near the end of his remarks, Trump compared Venezuela’s situation to Cuba.

“Cuba is an interesting case. Cuba is, you know, not doing very well right now. That system has not been a very good one for Cuba. The people there have suffered for many, many years,” he said.

“I think Cuba is going to be something we’ll end up talking about, because Cuba is a failing nation right now, a very badly failing nation, and we want to help the people. It’s very similar in the sense that we want to help the people in Cuba.”

Rubio added, “If I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I’d be concerned.”

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel condemned the U.S. action in a post on X.

His government “urgently demands the reaction of the international community against the criminal attack by the U.S. on #Venezuela. Our #ZonaDePaz [Zone of Peace] is being brutally assaulted. State terrorism against the brave Venezuelan people and against Our America. Homeland or Death We Shall Overcome!”

{Matzav.com}

Ret. U.S. Army Lt. Col. Daniel Davis praises the military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, but stresses caution in the days ahead on ‘Fox Report.’

WATCH:

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan have brought a wide-ranging indictment accusing Nicolás Maduro, his wife, his son, senior government officials, and the leader of Tren de Aragua of orchestrating an international narco-terrorism enterprise, with all defendants slated to face trial in New York.

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were flown to New York and arrived at approximately 4:45 p.m. today after being removed from Caracas aboard the USS Iwo Jima shortly after 2:01 a.m. local time today, following a U.S. military operation that stormed his compound.

According to the indictment filed in the Southern District of New York, Maduro presided over a “corrupt, illegitimate government” that “leveraged government power to protect and promote illegal activity, including drug trafficking.”

“In sum, Maduro Moros and his co-conspirators have, for decades, partnered with some of the most violent and prolific drug traffickers and narco-terrorists in the world, and relied on corrupt officials throughout the region, to distribute tons of cocaine to the United States,” the charging document states.

Prosecutors allege that the drug-trafficking operations were coordinated with major criminal and terrorist organizations, including Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC), the Sinaloa Cartel, the Zetas, and Tren de Aragua.

The indictment also names Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, known as Nino Guerrero, identified as the leader of Tren de Aragua, as a co-defendant alongside the Venezuelan leader.

Maduro, Flores, and Guerrero Flores are charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machineguns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices against the United States.

“They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on X.

While many of the allegations mirror charges first filed in the Southern District of New York in 2020, the new case expands the scope to include Maduro’s wife and son.

Nicolas Ernesto Maduro Guerra, the president’s son—commonly referred to as “The Prince”—is accused alongside his parents of participating in the trafficking of thousands of tons of cocaine.

Court documents show that Maduro Guerra is charged with conspiracy to import cocaine and conspiracy to possess machineguns.

After Maduro took power in 2013, his son was appointed to a custom-created role titled “Head of the Corps of Special Inspectors of the Presidency,” a position prosecutors say he used to help organize large-scale drug-trafficking operations.

The Department of Justice alleges that Maduro Guerra worked with narcotics traffickers and narco-terrorist organizations to send cocaine shipments into the United States, contributing to an estimated 300,000 deaths annually, according to President Trump.

Prosecutors further claim that between 2014 and 2015, Maduro Guerra traveled twice a month to Margarita Island, using a state-owned aircraft allegedly loaded with drugs that were transported back to mainland Venezuela.

In 2017, the indictment alleges, Maduro Guerra arranged for hundreds of pounds of cocaine to be shipped from Venezuela to Miami, Florida, concealed in shipping containers.

While in Florida, he allegedly discussed plans with trafficking partners to send lower-quality cocaine to New York, according to the charging document.

The indictment also claims that in 2020, Maduro Guerra traveled to Medellin, Colombia, to plan drug-trafficking routes and operations projected to span the next six years, moving narcotics through Central America and into the United States.

Two former Venezuelan ministers of interior, justice, and peace—Diosdado Cabello Rondon and Ramon Rodriguez Chachin—were also charged and accused of personally profiting from the alleged drug-trafficking network.

Prosecutors say corrupt officials within the Maduro government enabled coordination with narco-terrorist groups, facilitating the shipment of cargo containers filled with cocaine—sometimes containing as much as 20 tons each—through Mexican ports and onward to the United States.

Rondon and Chachin face charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machineguns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices.

{Matzav.com}

Republican lawmakers lined up today in strong support of President Donald Trump after U.S. forces struck Venezuela and detained its leader, Nicolás Maduro, praising the administration’s actions as decisive and overdue.

Rep. Carlos Gimenez of Florida, whose district includes a large Venezuelan expatriate community and who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, said he spoke directly with Secretary of State Marco Rubio following the operation.

“President Trump has changed the course of history in our hemisphere. Our country & the world are safer for it. Today’s decisive action is this hemisphere’s equivalent to the Fall of the Berlin Wall,” Gimenez wrote on X.

Rubio also briefed other members of Congress after the mission, according to multiple Republican lawmakers.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota said he discussed the matter with Rubio and expects additional briefings once lawmakers return to Washington from a two-week recess that ends Monday.

“President Trump’s decisive action to disrupt the unacceptable status quo and apprehend Maduro, through the execution of a valid Department of Justice warrant, is an important first step to bring him to justice for the drug crimes for which he has been indicted in the United States. I am grateful for the brave men and women of our armed forces who carried out this necessary action,” Thune said.

“I spoke to Secretary Rubio early this morning, and I look forward to receiving further briefings from the administration on this operation as part of its comprehensive counternarcotics strategy when the Senate returns to Washington next week.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana said the administration is arranging classified briefings for lawmakers once Congress reconvenes.

“Today’s military action in Venezuela was a decisive and justified operation that will protect American lives,” Johnson said. “President Trump is putting American lives first, succeeding where others have failed, and under his leadership the United States will no longer allow criminal regimes to profit from wreaking havoc and destruction on our country.”

Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Rubio confirmed to him that Maduro is now in custody and will be prosecuted.

“The interim government in Venezuela must now decide whether to continue the drug trafficking and colluding with adversaries like Iran and Cuba or whether to act like a normal nation and return to the civilized world. I urge them to choose wisely,” Cotton said.

Some Republicans who initially raised questions about the legality of the action later indicated they were reassured after additional details were shared.

Sen. Mike Lee of Utah said earlier that he wanted to understand “what, if anything, might constitutionally justify this action in the absence of a declaration of war or authorization for the use of military force.”

After speaking with Rubio, Lee said the secretary explained that Maduro had been taken into custody to face criminal charges in the United States and that force was used to safeguard those executing the arrest.

“He informed me that Nicolás Maduro has been arrested by U.S. personnel to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States, and that the kinetic action we saw tonight was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant,” Lee wrote.

“This action likely falls within the president’s inherent authority under Article II of the Constitution to protect U.S. personnel from an actual or imminent attack.”

Most Republican statements today expressed unequivocal backing of the administration. That included comments from House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast of Florida and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rick Crawford of Arkansas.

“The operation carried out last night capturing Nicolás Maduro is another win by President Trump to protect our homeland and clean up the backyard of the United States,” Mast told Fox News Digital.

Crawford said, “This is a historic day in the Western Hemisphere, 36 years after the capture of Manuel Noriega, when the U.S showed we will not allow cartels to take over countries in our shared neighborhood. The arrest of Cartel De Los Soles leader Nicolás Maduro shows this clearly.”

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota, the third-ranking Republican in the House, also praised the action.

“Maduro worked with our greatest adversaries, supported dangerous cartels, and infiltrated our country with drugs, killing Americans. President Trump took on this threat head-on today and Maduro was indicted in a U.S. court for his actions leading to the death of innocent Americans. God bless our troops and law enforcement who conducted this mission.”

House GOP Leadership Chairwoman Elise Stefanik of New York credited the military and intelligence community for the operation.

“l am grateful for our brave troops, intelligence officers, and law enforcement who ensured a successful military operation in Venezuela leading to the arrest and indictment of the illegitimate narco terrorist Nicolás Maduro.”

The unified Republican response contrasted sharply with Democratic criticism, which largely accused Trump of bypassing Congress and entering an unlawful conflict with Venezuela.

The reaction followed Trump’s announcement on Truth Social that the United States had “successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela” and detained the country’s leader.

Trump said Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of Venezuela. Attorney General Pam Bondi later confirmed that both were indicted in the Southern District of New York, one of the nation’s largest federal prosecutorial jurisdictions.

Democratic lawmakers reacted sharply today after President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces had seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, removed them from Venezuela, and carried out what the White House described as a “large scale” strike inside the country.

Several Democrats argued that the operation violated U.S. law because it was undertaken without authorization from Congress, warning that the move could drag the United States into another foreign conflict.

Sen. Andy Kim of New Jersey accused senior administration officials of misleading lawmakers during earlier briefings, directing his criticism at Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

“Secretaries Rubio and Hegseth looked every Senator in the eye a few weeks ago and said this wasn’t about regime change. I didn’t trust them then and we see now that they blatantly lied to Congress,” Kim wrote on X. “Trump rejected our Constitutionally required approval process for armed conflict because the Administration knows the American people overwhelmingly reject risks pulling our nation into another war.

“This strike doesn’t represent strength. It’s not sound foreign policy,” he continued. “It puts Americans at risk in Venezuela and the region, and it sends a horrible and disturbing signal to other powerful leaders across the globe that targeting a head of state is an acceptable policy for the U.S. government.”

Kim later warned that the fallout would further weaken U.S. alliances.

“This will further damage our reputation – already hurt by Trump’s policies around the world — and only isolate us in a time when we need our friends and allies more than ever.”

Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego joined the criticism, calling the operation the “second unjustified war in my life time.”

“This war is illegal, it’s embarrassing that we went from the world cop to the world bully in less than one year,” he wrote online. “There is no reason for us to be at war with Venezuela.”

In a follow-up post, Gallego pointed to his own military service.

“I fought in some of the hardest battles of the Iraq War. Saw my brothers die, saw civilians being caught in the crossfire all for an unjustified war,” the Arizona Democrat continued. “No matter the outcome we are in the wrong for starting this war in Venezuela.”

House Democrats also voiced opposition. Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts tied the strike to domestic policy battles, noting that Affordable Care Act subsidies expired earlier this week amid a record-long government shutdown.

“Without authorization from Congress, and with the vast majority of Americans opposed to military action, Trump just launched an unjustified, illegal strike on Venezuela,” McGovern wrote on X. “He says we don’t have enough money for healthcare for Americans — but somehow we have unlimited funds for war??”

Rep. Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts, who previously commanded Marines in Latin America, said U.S. troops deserve lawful and strategic leadership.

“The president has no authority to strike Venezuela, no strategy for a democratic transition, and no credibility that he won’t just pardon the criminal Maduro like he did the Honduran president,” Auchincloss wrote in a statement. “After voting No in December, Republicans in Congress must now join Democrats to grab hold the steering wheel of Venezuela policy to prevent this capture from spiraling into a blood for oil war.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York argued that the administration’s justification did not hold up, saying the action was driven by oil and regime change rather than narcotics enforcement.

“It’s not about drugs,” she wrote online. “If it was, Trump wouldn’t have pardoned one of the largest narco traffickers in the world last month. It’s about oil and regime change.”

“And they need a trial now to pretend that it isn’t. Especially to distract from Epstein + skyrocketing healthcare costs,” she added.

Sen. Adam Schiff of California issued a blistering statement, acknowledging Maduro’s record while condemning the U.S. response.

“Nicolás Maduro was a thug and an illegitimate leader of Venezuela, terrorizing and oppressing its people for far too long and forcing many to leave the country,” Schiff wrote. “But starting a war to remove Maduro doesn’t just continue Donald Trump’s trampling of the Constitution, it further erodes America’s standing on the world stage and risks our adversaries mirroring this brazen illegal escalation.”

He later added, “Acting without Congressional approval or the buy-in of the public, Trump risks plunging a hemisphere into chaos and has broken his promise to end wars instead of starting them.”

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, described the mission as “unauthorized” and urged lawmakers to reclaim Congress’s role in decisions of war and peace.

Democrats have spent months scrutinizing the administration’s actions in the Caribbean, including stepped-up pressure on Venezuela and strikes against vessels accused of drug trafficking. That scrutiny intensified in December after the White House announced the seizure of an oil tanker.

Trump defended the operation in an interview with The New York Times today, calling it “brilliant” and praising “a lot of good planning” by “a lot of great, great troops and people.”

Vice President Vance dismissed Democratic criticism and argued that Maduro’s legal exposure justified the action.

“PSA for everyone saying this was ‘illegal’: Maduro has multiple indictments in the United States for narcoterrorism,” he wrote on X. “You don’t get to avoid justice for drug trafficking in the United States because you live in a palace in Caracas.”

Republicans largely backed the president. Sen. Tim Cotton of Arkansas, a member of the Armed Services Committee, said Maduro should be held accountable.

“Maduro wasn’t just an illegitimate dictator; he also ran a vast drug-trafficking operation. That’s why he was indicted in U.S. court nearly six years ago for drug trafficking and narco-terrorism,” Cotton wrote online.

“I commend President Trump and our brave troops and law-enforcement officers for this incredible operation,” he added. “The interim government in Venezuela must now decide whether to continue the drug trafficking and colluding with adversaries like Iran and Cuba or whether to act like a normal nation and return to the civilized world. I urge them to choose wisely.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi detailed the charges against Maduro in a post a few hours after the strike, listing “Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States.”

“They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” she wrote.

Maduro was first indicted in 2020 on narco-terrorism charges tied to allegations that he sought to weaponize cocaine by “flooding” U.S. communities with drugs. In August, the Department of Justice increased its reward for information leading to his arrest to $50 million, doubling the amount offered by the Biden administration.

{Matzav.com}