Video Shows Nicolás Maduro Handcuffed and Saying “Happy New Year” After Arrival In New York; U.S. Officials Say He Was Captured During Strikes

Footage posted by the White House’s Rapid Response account on X shows Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro being escorted by U.S. federal agents after arriving in New York on Jan. 3. The video, which appears to have been recorded at U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration offices, shows Maduro wearing handcuffs as he walks down a hallway flanked by DEA officers and addressing bystanders with what sounds like “Good night” and “Happy New Year.”

U.S. officials said Maduro, 63, and his wife, First Lady Cilia Flores, were taken into custody following what the White House described as "large-scale strikes" across Venezuela. Maduro was flown to Stewart Air National Guard Base and is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn pending federal charges that will be filed in Manhattan, according to media reports citing U.S. authorities.

Allegations and U.S. Action

President Donald J. Trump publicly confirmed the operation and accused Maduro of directing drug trafficking, coercing migration toward the United States, and diverting oil revenues to support alleged criminal activity. Officials told CBS News and the BBC that U.S. strikes targeted multiple Venezuelan sites, including the Fuerte Tiuna military complex, La Carlota airbase, a location referred to as El Volcán, a signal antenna installation, and La Guaira port.

Jesus Vargas/GettyPresident of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flore

Trump: "No nation in the world could achieve what America achieved, successfully capturing Maduro in the dead of night... We're going to get the oil flowing the way it should be... we're gonna run it properly."

At a press conference, President Trump described U.S. forces breaching a safe room where Maduro had reportedly sought shelter and said the operation prevented his escape. The White House also circulated a photo on Truth Social purportedly showing Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima with blackout glasses and headphones; the image has not been independently verified.

Venezuelan Response

The Venezuelan government condemned the strikes, accusing the United States of attempting to seize Venezuela’s strategic resources—particularly oil and minerals—and of undermining the country’s political independence. Officials said national defense measures were being activated in response to the attacks, according to the BBC.

Maduro is scheduled to appear in Manhattan federal court next week. The reported operation and subsequent developments have drawn immediate international attention and raised concerns about regional stability.