The dramatic arrest of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro rests on firm US legal ground, according to constitutional scholar Michael O’Neil, who predicts slim odds for successful challenges.
In an exclusive discussion, O’Neil clarified the framework: Maduro isn’t a protected head of state but a wanted felon indicted in 2020 for leading drug and terror networks via Cartel de los Soles. Both Trump and Biden withheld recognition, with the latter posting a $25 million reward. Now, Southern District of New York prosecutors pursue justice.
Article II empowers the president to execute laws diligently; grand jury charges trigger arrest imperatives. Sovereignty defenses falter without legitimacy, courts traditionally deferring to State Department views. Noriega’s case exemplifies this precedent, conviction standing firm.
O’Neil addressed operation details: military support ensures law enforcer safety in perilous scenarios—wholly legitimate. Maduro’s path forward mirrors standard procedure: top-tier defense, discovery, jury deliberation. Guilty verdict? Decades behind bars, à la Noriega, with prolonged litigation ahead.
Amid global outcry, O’Neil refocuses: this is criminal accountability, not diplomatic spat. The US position is robust, rooted in law against threats like narco-trafficking.