(Photo by JUAN BARRETO/AFP via Getty Images & Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The first snapshots of captured Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro in U.S. custody are out, and theyre already breaking the internet. Meanwhile, The White House’s social media team drops lyrics quoting the late Notorious B.I.G. to underline the energy. Fans and critics alike are reactingsome in awe, some in disbeliefand everyone agrees: this is one for the history books.
After the shocking capture of Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, the White House’s X account went into full flex mode. The first post featured a black-and-white photo of Trump with the bold caption No games. FAFO, an acronym meaning f**k around and find out.
The White House followed up with a clip of Maduro allegedly saying come get me” and dont take too long, which then cut to Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a press conference with Trump. Rubios line? If you dont know, now you know. And, because of course, the clip ended with The Notorious B.I.G.s ‘Hypnotize’ playing in the background.
The first photos of Venezuelan President Maduro since his dramatic capture have hit the internet, and theyre already sparking chatter. In one shot, Maduro is surrounded by DEA agents, looking almost casual considering the circumstances. And, footage shows him being escorted in a classic perp walk by a heavy DEA presence at Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York before being transported to Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Centerto await trial on charges including narco-terrorism, cocaine importation, and weapons offenses. Furthermore, Maduro’s initial court appearance is scheduled for Monday, January 5.
Maduros wife, Cilia Flores, who was taken alongside him, and their son Nicols Maduro Guerra are also facing U.S. charges, with Flores undergoing a medical check upon arrival. A video circulating shows Maduro decked out in a hoodie, sweatpants, socks with sandals, and a beanie, holding a water bottle, and greeting onlookers with a calm Goodnight and Happy New Year as the account captioned it, Perp walked.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris is throwing serious shade at Donald Trumps overnight Venezuela stunt. On Saturday night, Harris blasted the capture of Nicols Maduro and his wife, calling it both unlawful and unwise. Additionally, Harris also acknowledged that the Venezuelan leader is brutal and illegitimate. In a lengthy X post, Harris argued that the operation does “not make America safer, stronger, or more affordable and warned that Trumps actions echo past regime-change moves that left chaos behind while American families footed the bill.
Harris didnt hold back, accusing the Trump administration of prioritizing oil over justice, drug enforcement, and democracy. She called the operation a power play, claiming Trump is putting troops at risk, spending billions, destabilizing a region, and offering no legal authority, no exit plan, and no benefit at home. Hours after Harris post, Maduro and his wife were reportedly flown from Manhattan to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, officially ending Operation Absolute Resolve and giving the internet yet another reason to watch the drama unfold.
Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro and his wife arent just under U.S. custody. Theyre now calling one of the most infamous jails in Brooklyn home. The Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC Brooklyn) has a reputation that precedes it, having housed high-profile names like R. Kelly and Sean Diddy Combs, and its so notorious that some judges have refused to send people there.
Opened in the early 90s, the facility currently holds around 1,300 inmates. From alleged gangsters and drug traffickers to white-collar defendants, it serves as a routine stop for people awaiting trial in Manhattan and Brooklyn federal courts. Despite the grim walls, Saturday night outside the MDC was anything but quiet. A crowd of Venezuelan expatriates, many draped in flags, lined the sidewalks to celebrate Maduros capture.
