New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Saturday criticized the U.S. military operation in Venezuela, calling it "an act of war" and a "violation of federal and international law."
The newly elected mayor wrote on X social media: "I was briefed this morning on the U.S. military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, as well as their planned imprisonment in federal custody here in New York City."
"Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law,” he added.
I was briefed this morning on the U.S. military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, as well as their planned imprisonment in federal custody here in New York City.
Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and...
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) January 3, 2026
The mayor stressed that such "blatant pursuit of regime change" does not only affect those abroad, saying its impact extends beyond Venezuela and could directly impact tens of thousands of Venezuelans living in New York.
"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," he said.
His remarks came after the U.S. carried out a "large-scale strike" on Venezuela, with President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores also "captured and flown out" of the country, later en route to New York City, where they will face federal charges, according to President Donald Trump.
