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Tag: Venezuela Crisis

  • What Maduro’s removal could mean for Trump’s foreign policy around the world

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — The Trump administration’s recent actions in Venezuela sparked reactions from leaders of countries all over the world, including countries President Donald Trump says the U.S. could take action against in the future.

    That’s left many wondering what that means for U.S. foreign policy moving forward.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Trump administration’s recent actions in Venezuela sparked reactions from leaders of countries all over the world, including countries President Donald Trump says the U.S. could take action against in the future

    • The developments with Venezuela come just as the U.S. seemed to be close to brokering a potential peace deal between Ukraine and Russia 

    • UCF associate professor and political analyst Aubrey Jewett says Trump’s actions send a clear message to world leaders, with the potential of emboldening some world leaders like Russian President Vladimir Putin 

    • Olena Stone, a Ukrainian who moved to the U.S. 20 years ago, says she’s initially encouraged by the United States’ actions to take out an anti-democratic leader in Venezuela, a country with longtime ties to Russia 


    Olena Stone moved to the U.S. from Ukraine 20 years ago. She said she’s initially encouraged by the United States’ capture and removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

    “It’s some good news as those who fight for democracy to know what human rights are, and that freedom is very fragile, as is democracy. I’m happy to see. I’m hopeful,” said Stone.

    The developments with Venezuela come just as the U.S. seemed to be close to brokering a potential peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. 

    Shortly following Maduro’s capture, Trump was asked about Russia and President Vladimir Putin.

    “I’m not thrilled with Putin. He’s killing too many people,” he said.

    Stone is encouraged by potential U.S. influence in Venezuela. The country, to this point, has been an ally of Russia.

    “That gives hope to Ukrainians that (there will be) less influence of Russians in the Western Hemisphere. More progress will be made in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, and that will give us that advantage and leverage,” said Stone.

    UCF associate professor and political analyst Aubrey Jewett said Trump’s actions send a clear message to world leaders.

    “I think for a lot of world leaders of every stripe, they’re basically saying, ‘This is the United States under President Trump’s leadership, you don’t know for sure what they’re going to do,’” he said.

    But Jewett believes it’s a message that could embolden some world leaders, like Putin.

    “When the U.S. acts unilaterally to remove a leader of another country, it opens up questions of, ‘Can other nations do that?’” said Jewett. “And so, for instance, maybe Russia says, ‘We did the same thing with Ukraine, we invaded for good reason.’”

    Because of differences in military strengths, like nuclear capabilities, Jewett said even if it wanted to, the U.S. could not take similar actions against other world leaders.

    “The United States has to show restraint with some countries and some world leaders because those countries have the ability to punish us pretty severely,” said Jewett.

    “The Ukrainian community is very cautious with what’s happening,” said Stone. “I’ve talked with some of my friends and colleagues, and they express such an opinion such as Ukrainians should not legitimize the way the United States administration invaded Venezuela — that is what they are saying, because we are definitely against that, the way it was done.”

    But Stone is hopeful. She believes Trump is committed to achieving peace in her home country.

    “The recent developments, again, give us hope,” said Stone. “And we see that Trump is ready to take steps — he’s capable of doing that — and we just want to make sure while doing that they remember who’s another dictator in this world, and that’s Russian President Vladamir Putin.”

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    Jeff Allen

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  • Maduro says ‘I was captured’ as he pleads not guilty on drug trafficking charges

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    NEW YORK — Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro declared himself “innocent” and a “decent man” as he pleaded not guilty to federal drug trafficking charges in a U.S. courtroom on Monday.

    Maduro was making his first appearance in an American courtroom Monday on the narco-terrorism charges the Trump administration used to justify capturing him and bringing him to New York. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro made his first appearance in a U.S. courtroom Monday following his capture over the weekend

    • Maduro declared himself “innocent” and a “decent man” as he pleaded not guilty to federal drug trafficking charges

    • A motorcade carrying Maduro left jail around 7:15 a.m. and made its way to a nearby athletic field, where Maduro slowly made his way to a waiting helicopter. The chopper flew across New York harbor and landed at a Manhattan heliport, where Maduro, limping, was loaded into an armored vehicle

    Maduro, wearing a blue jail uniform, and his wife were led into court around noon for a brief, but required, legal proceeding that will likely kick off a prolonged legal fight over whether he can be put on trial in the U.S. Both put on headsets to hear the English-language proceeding as it is translated into Spanish.

    The couple were transported under armed guard early Monday from the Brooklyn jail where they’ve been detained to a Manhattan courthouse.

    The trip was swift. A motorcade carrying Maduro left jail around 7:15 a.m. and made its way to a nearby athletic field, where Maduro slowly made his way to a waiting helicopter. The chopper flew across New York harbor and landed at a Manhattan heliport, where Maduro, limping, was loaded into an armored vehicle.

    A few minutes later, the law enforcement caravan was inside a garage at the courthouse complex, just around the corner from the one where Donald Trump was convicted in 2024 of falsifying business records. Across the street from the courthouse, the police separated a small but growing group of protesters from about a dozen pro-intervention demonstrators, including one man who pulled a Venezuelan flag away from those protesting the U.S. action.

    As a criminal defendant in the U.S. legal system, Maduro will have the same rights as any other person accused of a crime — including the right to a trial by a jury of regular New Yorkers. But he’ll also be nearly — but not quite — unique.

    Maduro’s lawyers are expected to contest the legality of his arrest, arguing that he is immune from prosecution as a sovereign head of state.

    Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega unsuccessfully tried the same defense after the U.S. captured him in a similar military invasion in 1990. But the U.S. doesn’t recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate head of state — particularly after a much-disputed 2024 reelection.

    Venezuela’s new interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, has demanded that the U.S. return Maduro, who long denied any involvement in drug trafficking — although late Sunday she also struck a more conciliatory tone in a social media post, inviting collaboration with President Trump and “respectful relations” with the U.S.

    Before his capture, Maduro and his allies claimed U.S. hostility was motivated by lust for Venezuela’s rich oil and mineral resources.

    The U.S. seized Maduro and his wife in a military operation Saturday, capturing them in their home on a military base. Trump said the U.S. would “run” Venezuela temporarily, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that it would not govern the country day-to-day other than enforcing an existing “oil quarantine.”

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    Associated Press

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