Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro made his first public appearance since being captured.
Clad in black sweats, a matching hat, and jail-issued flip-flops with white socks, the former leader was spotted inside the DEA headquarters in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood, clutching a water bottle and shuffling past agents with a dazed expression.
But it wasn’t his disheveled appearance that shocked the internet - it was his bizarre greeting.
Maduro Speaks Out
“Good Night, Happy New Year,” Maduro muttered to the agents around him as he was led through the building, according to footage released by the White House.
The clip, labeled “Perp walk,” shows the handcuffed ex-dictator being processed before his transfer to federal lockup.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured in a dramatic overnight raid at their home in Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, early Saturday morning.
The covert operation by U.S. forces ended with the couple being swiftly extradited to the U.S., where they landed in New York City late that same night.
After touching down, the pair were first processed at the DEA’s New York office.
From there, they were flown by helicopter past the Statue of Liberty en route to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn - their new home for the foreseeable future.
Celebrations erupt in Brooklyn as Venezuelans react
Their arrival at the Brooklyn facility was met with more than just standard protocol. Hundreds of people gathered outside in celebration, cheering and chanting as word of Maduro’s capture spread.
“It’s such a joy to see the dictator fall, but the regime hasn’t fallen yet,” said Ronny Chirinos, a Venezuelan national who moved to New York City from Maracay three years ago to escape Maduro’s rule, per the New York Post. “I want everything to fall. That there is no one left.”
The crowd erupted into applause, shouting phrases like “down with the dictator” and “dirty scumbag,” with some thanking former President Trump for greenlighting the high-risk military operation that finally brought Maduro into U.S. custody.
Maduro and Flores are now facing serious charges in the Southern District of New York, including narco-terrorism offenses. They are expected to appear in federal court as early as Monday.
Trump Speaks Out
Talking in a press conference from his Mar-A-Lago estate, Trump seemed very assured that what he called the threat of Venezuelan cartel drug violence was over.
“It was a brilliant operation, actually,” Trump said. “A lot of good planning and [a] lot of great, great troops and great people.”
According to CBS News, elite Delta Force commandos carried out the high-stakes mission that reportedly ended with Venezuelan President Maduro in U.S. custody.
The same military unit was behind the 2019 killing of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
Trump claimed that gangs sent to the U.S. by President Maduro, which he referred to as a "terrorist organization", were "stealing American lives."
He further claimed that Maduro "emptied prisons and insane asylums," and "sent everybody bad into the United States."
Trump explained that Venezuela cost America "billions and billions of dollars" as they allegedly stole U.S. oil.
According to Trump, this has been going on for many years, but no other President "bothered to do anything about it."
Venezuela will now be under U.S. control until it can assure a "judicial handover of power." The President assures that this is to the benefit of the Venezuelan population.