India Concerned Over Venezuela Crisis, Urges Dialogue Amid US Capture of Maduro

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the Embassy of India in Caracas is in contact with members of the Indian community and is providing all possible assistance.

"Recent developments in Venezuela are a matter of deep concern. We are closely monitoring the evolving situation. India reaffirms its support to the well-being and safety of the people of Venezuela. We call upon all concerned to address issues peacefully through dialogue, ensuring peace and stability of the region," it further read.

"The Embassy of India in Caracas is in contact with members of the Indian community and will continue to provide all possible assistance," it added.

MEA's statement comes after US Delta forces attacked an army base in Venezuela on Saturday, capping months of military buildup, and captured President Nicolas Maduro along with his wife, Cilia Flores.

According to US officials, the two were placed aboard a warship and transported to New York, where "narco-terrorism" charges have been filed in federal court.

The indictment, made public by US Attorney General Pam Bondi, was filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. Prosecutors allege Maduro used state power for more than two decades to move massive quantities of cocaine toward the United States. He faces charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, firearms offences and related crimes, with alleged conduct spanning from around 1999 through 2025.

The court filing claims Maduro "sits atop a corrupt, illegitimate government" that relied on military, intelligence, and law enforcement institutions to protect drug trafficking routes. Thousands of tons of cocaine were allegedly shipped through the Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico.

The indictment also names co-defendants, including Cilia Flores, Maduro's son Nicolas Ernesto Maduro Guerra and some senior officials.

Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro has been locked in a notorious federal jail in New York after his capture by the US forces at a military base in his country, from where he had been taunting President Donald Trump.

As he was escorted into the local office of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) on Saturday night before being jailed, he said sarcastically, looking at the camera, "Good night. Happy New Year".

Once the unquestioned ruler of the oil-rich South American nation, in the video released by the White House, he was in a brown uniform, manacled and clutching a water bottle while two DEA officers held him on either side by his elbows.

Meanwhile, Venezuela's Supreme Court on Sunday directed Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to take charge as the Interim President. The Constitutional Chamber, in a ruling after the attack, stated that Rodriguez would assume the presidency to maintain the nation's administrative continuity and safety.

"The office of President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in order to guarantee administrative continuity and the comprehensive defence of the Nation," the Supreme Court said.

The court stated that it would further consider how to establish a legal framework that ensures the continuity of the state, the functioning of the government, and the protection of sovereignty in light of the President of the Republic's "forced absence".

- IANS