New York mayor attacks U.S. justice for arresting dictator, siding with regime change critics over accountability.
Newly sworn-in New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani ignited immediate controversy after publicly opposing the U.S. military capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, branding the operation an “act of war” and a violation of international law.
Mamdani confirmed he personally contacted Donald Trump to voice his objections, just days after assuming office. He offered no details on the president’s response but insisted he had “registered his opposition” to what he described as unilateral regime change. The mayor said the development impacts New Yorkers, including Venezuelan migrants, and framed his stance as a matter of local public safety.
Meanwhile, U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced that Maduro and Flores have been formally indicted in the Southern District of New York on sweeping charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine trafficking, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices. Bondi praised the Trump administration and U.S. military for executing what she called a decisive mission to bring alleged international criminals to American justice.
Democratic Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi acknowledged Maduro’s brutality but warned against bypassing Congress, arguing that unchecked executive action weakens constitutional balance and emboldens adversaries like China and Russia.
For Israel and its allies, the episode highlights a familiar hypocrisy: Western progressives loudly condemn Israel’s defensive actions against terror, yet rush to shield foreign dictators accused of narco-terrorism when accountability finally arrives. While Israel confronts terrorism openly and lawfully, critics continue to blur the line between justice and appeasement—undermining deterrence, emboldening tyrants, and eroding global order.
