Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Saturday that he called President Donald Trump and directly voiced his opposition to the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
“I called the president and spoke with him directly to register my opposition to this act, and make clear that it was an opposition based on being opposed to a pursuit of regime change due to violation of federal and international law, and a desire to see that be consistent each and every day,” Mamdani said at an unrelated announcement.
Maduro has been flown to the U.S. to face charges in the Southern District of New York, including narco-terrorism conspiracy and conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices against the United States.
Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, will also face prosecution and traveled alongside him aboard the U.S. warship Iwo Jima after being seized from their home overnight in an operation that also included airstrikes on the city of Caracas following months of escalation.
“My administration will continue to monitor the developments in this situation and will also be sure to share anything relevant with New Yorkers. The president and I have always been honest and direct with each other about places of disagreement. I was honest and direct at the Oval Office, I will be honest and direct in the phone conversations we have, and New Yorkers have elected me to be honest and direct,” Mamdani said.
Trump said the United States would, for now, run Venezuela, which includes tapping its vast oil reserves to sell to other nations.