Abducted Venezuelan President faces drug trafficking charges in New York

By Mark Ogagan

Abducted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have appeared in a court in New York on drug-related charges as US President Donald Trump insists the US is in control of Venezuela.

Interim Venezuelan President, Delcy Rodriguez has called for a “balanced and respectful” relationship with Washington during the transition of power.

Meanwhile, Trump has threatened further military action against Venezuela as well as against Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who has dismissed the threat as “illegitimate”. Trump also warns Mexico it must “get its act together”.

The UN Security Council is to meet to discuss the US action in Venezuela, which UN chief Antonio Guterres described as a dangerous precedent.

Maduro was abducted last Saturday by US forces and taken to New York in a military operation that also saw large-scale strikes on numerous locations in Venezuela.