According to Mamdani, officials informed him Saturday that Maduro and his wife were being brought to New York City to be held in federal custody. The mayor said he immediately contacted the White House to oppose the move.
During a news conference, he recalled his direct call with Trump, insisting he pushed back hard.
“I called the president and spoke with him directly to register my opposition to this act and to make clear that it was an opposition based on being opposed to a pursuit of regime change, to the violation of federal international law and a desire to see that be consistent each and every day,” Mamdani said. “I registered my opposition, I made it clear and we left it at that.”
Trump Announces Capture After Overnight Strikes
Earlier that morning, Trump revealed that Maduro had been taken into U.S. custody following what he described as a “large scale strike” targeting vessels allegedly tied to Venezuelan drug trafficking operations in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.
Images released from Mar-a-Lago showed Trump watching the operation unfold alongside CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The Venezuelan government quickly fired back, accusing the United States of orchestrating the assault to seize natural resources. Officials called the strike an “attempt to impose a colonial war to destroy the republican form of government and force a ‘regime change,’ in alliance with the fascist oligarchy.”
Mamdani Warns the Operation Puts New Yorkers at Risk
The mayor later took his concerns to social media, arguing that the ripple effects of the offensive would be felt far from South America.
“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,” Mamdani wrote.
He added that Venezuelans living in the city would be among those most affected by the political fallout and escalating tension.
A Political Irony Noted by Critics
Observers were quick to point out the stark contrast between Mamdani’s domestic agenda and Maduro’s legacy in Venezuela.
Maduro’s rule relied heavily on state control of resources and redistribution of oil wealth. Mamdani, a democratic socialist who took office January 1, has championed taxing the wealthy to fund public services and expanding city-run programs such as public housing, transit, childcare, and grocery stores.
That comparison sparked commentary online. One prominent critic remarked on the unusual optics of a socialist mayor overseeing the city where Maduro would now face prosecution.
“The ‘warm collectivism’ promised during Mamdani’s inaugural speech (which killed 100 million people in the 20th century) is about to be prosecuted in federal court in the city he oversees,” Kayleigh McEnany wrote. “The juxtaposition is quite something.”
Venezuelan Response and Street Reactions
Images from Washington showed pro-Venezuelan demonstrators waving flags outside the White House shortly after news of the capture broke. Meanwhile, crowds in Venezuela flooded the streets to celebrate Maduro’s removal, cheering after Trump confirmed he had been flown out of the country.
Questions Remain as Political Fallout Builds
While Mamdani continues to denounce the operation, his office has not issued further comment beyond Saturday’s statements. Federal agencies have also remained tight-lipped about where Maduro will be held or when charges will be formally announced.
What is clear is that the clash between Trump and Mamdani has opened a new front in an already tense foreign policy moment, raising questions about national security, legal authority, and the treatment of foreign leaders captured abroad.
