Maduro Moved to Brooklyn Detention Center After Transfer to United States

New York, Jan. 4, 2026 — Venezuela’s detained President Nicolás Maduro has been transferred to a detention facility in Brooklyn after being brought to the United States following a special operation, according to media reports.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were taken into custody and flown to New York, where their aircraft landed at Stewart Air National Guard Base, about 70 kilometers from New York City. From the base, they were transported by helicopter to Manhattan’s West Side Heliport and later taken to the New York office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
After completing necessary legal procedures at the DEA office, the couple were transferred to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. U.S. authorities have accused Maduro of involvement in drug trafficking and arms smuggling, allegations he has consistently denied.
Following Maduro’s transfer, Colombia—backed by Russia and China—called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council. Meanwhile, Venezuela’s Supreme Court instructed Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to assume the role of interim president to ensure continuity of governance, maintain state order, and protect national sovereignty, according to a Reuters report.
U.S. authorities also released a video showing Maduro being escorted through a corridor at the DEA’s New York office. In the footage, he is seen wearing a black hoodie and walking across a blue carpet marked “DEA NYD.” As he walked past officials, Maduro was heard wishing them a “Happy New Year.”
The developments mark a dramatic escalation in the political crisis surrounding Venezuela and have triggered sharp international reactions amid rising geopolitical tensions.