Details of Preparedness for Arresting Maduro; Months of Joint Planning by U.S. Security and Judicial Agencies

According to a joint statement from the U.S. Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, the FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, the operation to arrest and transfer Nicolás Maduro, the ousted leader of Venezuela, to the U.S. was conducted after months of planning and coordination among various American agencies. The statement notes that specialized forces from the FBI and the DEA, including tactical and transfer teams, collaborated with the Department of Defense and lawyers from the Department of Justice and other sections of this department to ensure the 'safe transfer, control, and transportation of two high-risk defendants.' It emphasizes that 'all forces involved in this operation acted professionally, decisively, and within the full framework of U.S. laws and established protocols.' The statement also clarifies that the U.S. has pursued 'all legal options for a peaceful resolution of this case,' but these opportunities have 'been repeatedly rejected.' It continues: 'The responsibility for the consequences of this process lies solely with those who chose to continue their criminal behavior instead of abandoning it.' American agencies have stated that the purpose of this mission is to support an ongoing judicial process related to 'widespread drug trafficking and related crimes'; activities that, according to the statement, 'have exacerbated violence, regional instability, and played a direct role in the drug crisis that is taking American lives.' According to this report, Nicolás Maduro, the ousted President of Venezuela, is set to appear in a Manhattan federal court on Monday. In a four-count indictment, he is accused of leading a '25-year narco-terrorism conspiracy.'