PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley and Senate Majority Leader John Thune issued statements of support Saturday following the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, by U.S. forces.
The military operation, which took place early Saturday morning in Caracas, resulted in the apprehension of Maduro on federal drug trafficking charges. President Donald Trump announced the successful mission via social media, confirming the couple was being transported to New York to face prosecution.
Jackley commended the action, describing it as a significant milestone in national security and the fight against illegal narcotics.
“I commend President Donald J. Trump and the United States Armed Forces for their decisive and courageous action in capturing Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Jackley said in a statement released from Pierre. This historic operation, carried out in coordination with U.S. law enforcement, marks a significant step in the fight against narco-terrorism and sends a clear message that the United States will not tolerate the trafficking of illicit drugs that threaten the safety and well-being of our citizens.”
The South Dakota Attorney General emphasized his support for the administration’s strategy to secure communities from the influence of international drug cartels.
“I stand firmly behind the administration’s continued efforts to protect our nation from the scourge of illicit drugs”, Jackley said. “Together, we will work to keep our communities safe and free from the devastating impact of drug trafficking.”
In Washington, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., also backed the operation, noting the long-term impact of Maduro’s regime on the United States. Thune highlighted that Maduro and his associates have been responsible for trafficking vast quantities of drugs that have contributed to the American overdose crisis.
“For years, Nicolas Maduro, the cartel he leads, and other cartels in Latin America have trafficked drugs into the United States, which have killed hundreds of thousands of Americans, Thune said. President Trump’s decisive action to disrupt the unacceptable status quo and apprehend Maduro, through the execution of a valid Department of Justice warrant, is an important first step to bring him to justice for the drug crimes for which he has been indicted in the United States.”
Thune expressed gratitude to the military personnel involved in the nighttime strike and confirmed he had been in contact with Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding the mission.
“I am grateful for the brave men and women of our armed forces who carried out this necessary action”, Thune said.”I spoke to Secretary Rubio early this morning, and I look forward to receiving further briefings from the administration on this operation as part of its comprehensive counternarcotics strategy when the Senate returns to Washington next week.”
Maduro and Flores are expected to be arraigned in a New York federal court.
