Maduro in US Custody: Kidnapped or Captured? The World Debates Legality

• US military conducted "Operation Absolute Resolve" in Caracas, taking Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, into custody on January 3.
• Maduro pleaded "not guilty" in a New York court, claiming he was "kidnapped" and remains his country's president, citing international law violations.
• President Donald Trump hailed the operation as a "brilliant victory," calling it a "surgical" law enforcement action against a "wanted drug lord."
• Media outlets like CNN use "captured" or "seized," while BBC advises "taken into custody"; non-US media like Le Monde and Al Jazeera often use "abduction."
• The choice of "captured" implies a fugitive caught, while "kidnapped" suggests a dangerous precedent violating international immunity for heads of state.

Why It Matters: The debate over Maduro's 'capture' or 'kidnapping' highlights a critical international legal and political conflict.