By Admin 
Newly elected Mayor of New York City Zoharan Mamdani has expressed strong objection to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores by the US Army. Mamdani has called this action not only wrong but also against international law and sovereignty. He said that such unilateral military action against a sovereign country is considered a direct act of war and it also impacts a multicultural city like New York.
Mamdani issued a statement
“I was informed this morning of the US military’s plan to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and place them in federal custody in New York City,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a statement. A unilateral attack on a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law.
I was briefed this morning on the US military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, as well as their planned imprisonment in federal custody here in New York City.
Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and…
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) January 3, 2026
He further said that this open attempt at regime change is not limited only to foreign countries, but it also has a direct impact on the citizens of New York, especially the thousands of Venezuelans who consider this city their home.
Statement came after Trump’s announcement
Mamdani’s statement came a few hours after US President Donald Trump’s announcement. Trump had claimed that the US military had arrested President Maduro and his wife by carrying out a massive attack on Venezuela and brought them to America. The Trump administration has made serious allegations of narco-terrorism against Maduro and preparations are being made to prosecute him in New York federal court.
Concerns of New York’s Venezuelan community
Mamdani, New York’s first Muslim and South Asian-origin mayor, prominently raised the concerns of the city’s large Venezuelan community. New York is home to thousands of Venezuelan immigrants, who have come here in recent years to escape their country’s political and economic crisis. Mamdani said that his priority is the safety of all the people of New York, including these people.
Controversy at international level
Maduro’s arrest and US military action have sparked controversy globally. Many Latin American countries as well as Russia, China and Iran have strongly condemned this move, while leaders of some countries have also supported it. The United Nations has termed this action as a ‘dangerous precedent’.
News of deaths in Caracas attack
Meanwhile, reports have claimed that at least 40 people have died in the Venezuelan capital Caracas due to American air strikes. This attack was carried out on January 3 under ‘Operation Absolute Resolve’, after which President Nicolas Maduro was detained.