Mamdani calls Trump’s Venezuela move a ‘act of war’
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has stated that he communicated directly with President Donald Trump to express his opposition to the US military’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro and his wife, describing the unilateral action against a sovereign nation as an act of war. Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores have been indicted in the Southern District of New York and are being brought to the city to face the charges against them. In response to an inquiry regarding the circumstances in Venezuela and the capture of Maduro during a press conference, Mamdani stated, “I called the president and spoke with him directly to register my opposition to this act.” I have formally expressed my dissent. “I made it clear and we left it at that,” Mamdani said, giving no details of what Trump’s response to him was.
The remarkable international development has occurred merely two days following Mamdani’s inauguration as Mayor of New York City. Mamdani received a briefing on Saturday morning from his administration officials, which included his chief of staff and the police commissioner, regarding the US military’s capture of the Venezuelan president and his wife, along with their intended imprisonment in federal custody in New York City. Mamdani stated that the overt quest for regime change affects New Yorkers, particularly Venezuelans residing in the city. “Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law,” the newly sworn-in mayor said in a statement.
This overt quest for regime change does not solely influence individuals overseas; it has a direct effect on New Yorkers, including the tens of thousands of Venezuelans who reside in this city. “My focus is their safety and the safety of every New Yorker, and my administration will continue to monitor the situation and issue relevant guidance,” Mamdani said. US Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated in a post on X that Maduro and Flores have been indicted in the Southern District of New York. Maduro faces serious allegations, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, as well as conspiracy to possess these weapons against the US. “They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” Bondi said, as she thanked Trump for having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American People, and a huge thank you to our brave military who conducted the incredible and highly successful mission to capture these two alleged international narco traffickers. Meanwhile, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi stated, “while Maduro is an illegitimate dictator who has inflicted immense suffering on the Venezuelan people, that reality does not give any president a blank check to use military force without Congress authorization.”
“By acting without congressional authorisation and publicly asserting US control over another sovereign nation, President Trump is abusing presidential power and undermining the Constitution’s separation of powers,” Krishnamoorthi said. He stated that the Trump Administration must promptly ensure the safety of US personnel, reveal if there were any casualties, and provide a complete and immediate briefing to Congress. The president has now declared that the United States will oversee Venezuela, thereby binding the nation to an indefinite obligation. That course was neither approved by the American people nor by Congress. “This use of force and claimed control erode the rule of law, embolden Moscow and Beijing to push boundaries elsewhere, weaken America’s credibility, and ultimately make Americans less safe,” Krishnamoorthi said.
