'Confirms rogue, brutal nature of US': North Korea criticises US capture of Venezuela's Maduro

North Korea has strongly condemned the capture of Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro by the United States, calling it a “serious encroachment of sovereignty”, state media was quoted as saying by AFP. In a statement, North Korea said the capture of Maduro confirms the “rogue and brutal” nature of the United States.

Pyongyang's foreign ministry “strongly denounces the US hegemony-seeking act committed in Venezuela”, said a ministry spokesperson in a statement carried by the official KCNA.

“The incident is another example that clearly confirms once again the rogue and brutal nature of the US,” the ministry added.

US President Donald Trump publicly announced on Saturday, 3 January that American forces had conducted a “large-scale strike” against Venezuela and captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

Where is Maduro currently located?

After his capture in Venezuela, Maduro was flown out of Caracas on a US helicopter and brought aboard the USS Iwo Jima, appearing in a photograph that has since gone viral after being shared by US President Donald Trump on Truth Social account.

He was later transported to New York, travelling via Cuba. Once he arrived in New York, he was reportedly taken to the offices of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

The Venezuelan President has since been transferred from the DEA office in Manhattan to Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center, BBC reported.

Maduro is expected to face court on drugs and weapons charges, which could happen as early as Monday. He has previously denied leading a drug cartel, according to the BBC report.

Trump says US will run Venezuela

In the meantime, President Trump said in a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida that United States will run the country, a move that has been subjected to criticism by some legal experts.

These experts questioned the legality of the operation in which a foreign leader has been captured, while democrats claimed they were misinformed during recent congressional briefings, hence calling for clarity on the next steps, Mint reported earlier.

Maduro has been charged along with his wife, his son, and three other individuals. The indictment lists four charges against him, which include conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.

Multiple explosions were reported in Caracas in the early hours of Saturday, including blasts near military installations.