Sun Jan 04 06:35:50 UTC 2026: NYC Mayor Mamdani Condemns US Capture of Maduro, Cites “Act of War”
New York, NY – In a dramatic international development, newly sworn-in New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has voiced strong opposition to the US military’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, calling the action an “act of war.”
Maduro and Flores, indicted in the Southern District of New York on charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, are being brought to New York City to face trial.
Mayor Mamdani revealed he spoke “directly” with President Trump to register his disapproval of the operation. “I registered my opposition. I made it clear and we left it at that,” Mamdani stated, declining to elaborate on Trump’s response.
The mayor emphasized that this “blatant pursuit of regime change” directly impacts New Yorkers, including the city’s large Venezuelan population. “Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law,” he stated.
US Attorney General Pamela Bondi lauded the capture, thanking Trump and the military.
Meanwhile, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, criticized the Trump administration’s actions, stating that while Maduro is an “illegitimate dictator,” the president does not have a “blank check to use military force without Congress authorisation.” He accused Trump of “abusing presidential power and undermining the Constitution’s separation of powers” and demanded a full briefing of Congress.
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