Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said he does not expect the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to significantly reduce drug trafficking in the United States. Smith argued that organized cartels remain active and will not vanish with Maduro's removal. He also warned the administration appears unprepared for the political aftermath, calling the lack of a clear plan “deeply concerning.”
Rep. Adam Smith: Maduro’s Capture Won’t Fundamentally Change U.S. Drug Trafficking, Warns Of Chaotic Aftermath
Smith on Maduro capture: ‘I don’t think it fundamentally changed drug trafficking in America at all’
Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said on Sunday that he does not believe the recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro will meaningfully reduce the scale of drug trafficking affecting the United States.
Smith’s Assessment
In an interview on NewsNation's The Hill, Smith acknowledged that Maduro was “certainly part of the drug problem,” but emphasized that organized cartels remain active and will not disappear because one leader has been removed.
“No, I don’t [think we are safer],” Smith said. “They didn’t just disappear yesterday because Maduro is no longer running Venezuela. I don’t think it fundamentally changed drug trafficking in America at all.”
Operation Details
U.S. forces conducted a covert overnight operation into Saturday morning to capture and arrest Maduro and his wife and transport them to New York, where they face charges tied to drug trafficking, terrorism and firearms. Authorities say the mission had been planned since late summer and followed months of threats and several reported boat strikes aimed at suspected “narco-terrorists.”
Concerns About What Comes Next
Smith said he understands the administration’s point that Maduro was not the legitimately elected leader, but he warned that removing the de facto head of state without a clear plan for the aftermath is dangerous.
“They took out Maduro. They don’t know what comes next, and they’re kind of making it up as they go along. And that is deeply concerning,” Smith said. “We don’t want this to turn into chaos. And yet, we removed the leader of the country.”
He added that the operation amounted to a regime-change action and criticized both the lack of a post-operation strategy and the reasons given for the removal.
Current Status
Maduro is currently in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, as he awaits prosecution on the U.S. charges.
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