Luis Abinader speaks about the Dominican Republic’s position after US attacks in Venezuela

President Luis Abinader reiterated the Dominican Republic’s position regarding Nicolás Maduro, after US special forces entered Venezuela early Saturday morning and arrested the Venezuelan leader, intending to try him on US soil.

In a message on his X account, Abinader recalled that the Dominican Republic “never recognized the legitimacy of Nicolás Maduro’s proclamation as president after the July 2024 elections.”

He stated that the Santo Domingo Declaration of August of that same year demanded respect for the will expressed at the ballot box. In that regard, the Dominican president indicated that the country is prepared to collaborate in establishing democracy, peace, and national harmony in Venezuela.

In his brief remarks, Abinader stated that he is closely following developments regarding the United States and Venezuela, and emphasized that “The Dominican Republic will always stand on the side of democracy. Wherever, whenever, and before whomever.”

Maduro arrives in New York.

Maduro descended in handcuffs from the Boeing 757 military plane that transported him to New York on Saturday amid the extensive security operation that accompanied him.

The Venezuelan president arrived at Stewart Air National Guard Base, a military airport in upstate New York, where dozens of agents from various federal agencies, including the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), were waiting for him in temperatures of 2 degrees Celsius below zero.

Maduro is now expected to be transferred by helicopter to the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), a federal prison located in the Brooklyn district, according to local media.