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Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro participated in a car interview just days before he was captured by U.S. forces.
During the interview, Maduro said that his government is open to negotiating an agreement targeting drug trafficking networks tied to his government.
The pre-taped interview was staged with Maduro seated behind the wheel of a car and driving with Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet in the passenger seat while they discussed a potential deal.
In the clip that aired on state TV, Maduro said Venezuela is “ready” to discuss a drug-trafficking deal with the U.S. He called on the countries to “start talking seriously, with data in hand.”
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Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro joined a rally in Caracas on Dec. 10. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez)
“The U.S. government knows, because we’ve told many of their spokespeople, that if they want to seriously discuss an agreement to combat drug trafficking, we’re ready,” he said. “If they want oil, Venezuela is ready for U.S. investment, like with Chevron, whenever they want it, wherever they want it and however they want it.”
President Donald Trump confirmed early Saturday morning that the U.S. had carried out strikes in Caracas and captured both Maduro and his wife.
“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country,” the president wrote on Truth Social.
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro looks on during a meeting at the National Assembly in Caracas on Aug. 22, 2025. (Juan Barreto/AFP via Getty Images)
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Trump later joined “Fox & Friends Weekend” to discuss the operation, which he said he watched from Mar-a-Lago. The president also confirmed that Maduro and his wife were transported to the U.S.S. Iwo Jima via helicopter.
Fox News host Griff Jenkins asked Trump, “Before we let you go, though, can you tell us where Maduro and his wife are right this second?”
“Well, they’ll be heading to New York,” Trump said. Griffin interjected, “Were they taken to a ship first?”
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro greets his supporters during a rally in Caracas on Dec. 1, 2025. (Pedro Mattey/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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“Yes, the Iwo Jima,” Trump said. “They’ll be heading into New York. The helicopters took them out, and they went by helicopter on a nice flight. I’m sure they loved it, but they’ve killed a lot of people.”
“Even people in their own country. They killed a lot of people to maintain power. He’s a very vicious person.”
Fox News learned on Saturday that Maduro could appear in federal court in New York as soon as Monday.