New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Saturday condemned the Trump administration over the U.S. military operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of its president, calling it an “act of war.”
“I was briefed this morning on the U.S. military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, as well as their planned imprisonment in federal custody here in New York City,” Mamdani wrote Saturday afternoon on X.
“Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law. This blatant pursuit of regime change doesn’t just affect those abroad, it directly impacts New Yorkers,” he continued.
The newly inaugurated mayor noted during a Saturday press conference in Brooklyn that “tens of thousands” of Venezuelans call New York City their home, promising that his administration will “issue relevant guidance” as it continues to monitor growing tensions between Venezuela and the U.S.
The Trump administration has accused Maduro of facilitating the flow of narcotics into the U.S. He’s denied any links to the drug trade, but now stands indicted by Trump’s Department of Justice on narco-terrorism and drug trafficking charges.
Maduro was expected to arrive in New York City on Saturday and is set to be housed at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
The Trump administration has been striking alleged drug boats in Caribbean waters near Venezuela since September, killing dozens of people without due process or congressional authorization, under a stated effort to stop the flow of narcotics. The Trump administration has also seized oil tankers from Venezuela, which holds the largest oil reserves in the world. When asked last month if this conflict is really about drugs or also about oil, Trump admitted, “Well, it’s about a lot of things.”
Evan Vucci/Associated Press
The president confirmed during an interview Saturday about Maduro’s capture that the U.S. will be “strongly involved” in “the future” of Venezuela’s oil, calling America’s oil companies the “greatest,” and said during a press conference, “We’re gonna take back the oil.”
Mamdani has been a vocal Trump critic since the beginning of his mayoral campaign, but met with him after winning the mayoral election and defeating the Trump-endorsed former New York City Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) for an unexpectedly cordial meeting at the White House.
During his victory speech in November, Mamdani vowed to fight for his constituents and called Trump a “despot.”