January 4, 2026 | 09:23 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - US President Donald Trump on Saturday released a photo of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro being kidnapped by US forces aboard the USS Iwo Jima.
In the photo, which Trump uploaded to his Truth Social platform, as reported by The Independent, Maduro is seen wearing a tracksuit with his eyes closed and headphones on.
It is likely that this was intended to keep Maduro unaware of his whereabouts or understand what was happening around him.
Someone wearing a DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) logo jacket is seen nearby as Maduro appears to be drinking from a water bottle.
The Venezuelan government had earlier stated that they were unaware of Maduro's whereabouts and urged the US to provide evidence that the president was in good condition.
Earlier on the same day, Trump announced that his troops had launched a large-scale military operation in Venezuela.
Facing Life Imprisonment
Maduro faces the prospect of four life sentences in criminal charges filed in the United States, according to court documents as reported by Sputnik and quoted by Antara.
US Attorney General Pamela Bondi said Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, will soon stand trial in the Southern District Court of New York.
In March 2020, Maduro and several alleged co-conspirators were indicted on four counts.
The charges include conspiracy related to narco-terrorism, cocaine smuggling into the United States, and the use and possession of machine guns and explosives in narco-terrorism activities.
Additionally, Maduro was also charged with conspiring to possess and use these weapons and explosives.
Each count carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Earlier on the same day, US President Donald Trump stated that his troops had launched a large-scale attack on Venezuela.
Trump also announced that Maduro and his wife had been kidnapped and taken out of Venezuela.
Selective Targeting
However, the drug charges against Maduro have angered many. This is because, on December 16, Trump pardoned former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernndez, who had previously been convicted in US court on similar drug trafficking charges.
As reported by Axios, Trump's drug war may be sensational, but it does not always prioritize drug trafficking routes into the United States.
The US captured Maduro overnight after weeks of diplomatic and military pressure, sending a large fleet off the coast of Venezuela and repeatedly sinking ships suspected of carrying drugs near its waters.
Venezuela serves as a transit point for cocaine bound for the US, although the DEA says most of it enters through Mexico. Most of the cocaine reaching the US is cultivated in Colombia, Venezuela's neighbor.
Venezuela is not a significant source of fentanyl, although Trump also claims to target fentanyl shipments. The fentanyl supply chain usually flows from China, through Mexico, to the US.
The charges against Maduro do not even mention fentanyl, although Trump has openly stated it.
The US drug war against Venezuela is suspected to be about ideology rather than drugs.
Maduro has clashed with the US and Trump personally for a decade.
Read: Nicolas Maduro and Wife Land in New York After US Arrest
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