Maduro captured Venezuela dictator charged with drug trafficking says Bondi

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The seize of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro was "not nearly medication," U.S. Legal professional Normal Pam Bondi mentioned in her first interview concerning the military operation on "Hannity" Monday.

Maduro and different defendants may face expenses in different places, Bondi mentioned.

"Nothing is off the desk," Bondi informed Fox Information host Sean Hannity. "These individuals should stay behind bars. They're liable for the lack of so many lives, and these aren't street-level drug sellers. They're narco-traffickers."

On Monday, Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty to narco-terrorism and different expenses in federal courtroom.

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The Justice Division says Maduro supplied "Venezuelan diplomatic passports to drug traffickers and facilitated diplomatic cowl for planes utilized by cash launderers to repatriate drug proceeds from Mexico to Venezuela."

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro greets his supporters throughout a rally in Caracas on Dec. 1, 2025. (Pedro Mattey/Anadolu by way of Getty Photographs)

A person who had a short alternate with Maduro within the Manhattan courtroom informed Fox Information the dictator declared himself a "prisoner of war" and in contrast himself to Jesus.

"I'm harmless, I'm not responsible," Maduro informed the courtroom. "I'm an honest man. I'm nonetheless president of my nation."

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Some Democrats have criticized the military operation as a violation of state sovereignty, evaluating it to former President George W. Bush’s actions in Iraq.

In the meantime, Bondi insisted "Operation Absolute Resolve" was "effectively inside" President Donald Trump ’s constitutional authority in response to critics.

Individuals escorted out of airplane believed to hold Maduro, spouse after Operation Absolute Resolve underneath cowl of darkness. (WNYW)

"It was a legislation enforcement operate to arrest indicted people in Venezuela," Bondi defined. "Our army pulled off a flawless, flawless execution of that."

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She went on to emphasize Saturday’s covert operation "saved numerous lives."

"The president saved 1000's, numerous lives tonight," Bondi mentioned. "However he additionally protected People from the TDA [ Tren de Aragua ] members who Maduro let into our nation, pressured into our nation."

Captured Venezuelan chief Nicolas Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores, seem with their attorneys Barry Pollack and Mark Donnelly at their arraignment in a federal courtroom in New York Metropolis on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. (Jane Rosenberg)

The lawyer basic listed a number of homicide victims of Venezuelan gang members, together with 22-year-old Laken Riley and 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray.

"It’s horrific and it will cease," she vowed.

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Whereas Trump has mentioned the U.S. will temporarily "run" Venezuela , Maduro's allies within the authorities have contested the declare.

The Venezuelan dictator and his spouse are set to look in courtroom once more March 17.

Stephanie Samsel is a digital manufacturing assistant at Fox Information Digital. She has beforehand written for Campus Reform and the Media Analysis Heart, masking political bias in training and leisure. Comply with her on X @StephSamsel.