Captured Venezuelan leader Maduro arrives in New York City after US strikes

Washington DC: Donald Trump says the US launched strikes on Venezuela and captured its President Nicolás Maduro.Maduro and his wife landed at Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York state before being taken by helicopter to Manhattan’s DEA office, and then on to Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center.

Trump earlier shared a photo of Maduro blindfolded on board the USS Iwo Jima.President Trump says the US is going to “run” Venezuela “until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition”.

Some in Venezuela believe that Trump isn’t serious about shoring up Venezuela for a democratic future, but rather to plunder its oil wealth, writes Tom Bateman.
In an address on state television, Venezuela’s Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez says Maduro is the country’s only president.

Maduro has been indicted in New York on drugs and weapons charges. He has previously denied being the leader of a drug cartel.Venezuela has declared a national emergency, denouncing “extremely serious military aggression”.