Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was captured by the United States, was arraigned in a US court on Monday. Maduro, who was arrested along with his wife Cilia Flores during a US military operation on January 3, was arraigned in a New York City court on Monday.

The US indicted Maduro on drug trafficking charges in 2020. The new indictment, released on Saturday, also alleges that Maduro smuggled thousands of tons of cocaine into the US while in power in Venezuela in collaboration with notorious cartels such as Mexico's Sinaloa and Zetas.

Maduro is also accused of running a 'state-sponsored' drug trafficking network under his own leadership and using the proceeds from it for his own and family's benefit. The indictment also alleges that while he was foreign minister, he sold diplomatic passports to drug traffickers and used diplomatic channels to move money from the smuggling.

Maduro has denied all criminal charges against him in court. 'I am the elected president of my country. I am innocent of any crime,' he said in court.

Maduro's assets frozen

Meanwhile, the Swiss government has announced that it has frozen the bank accounts and assets of Venezuelan President Maduro and those associated with him. According to the BBC, Switzerland has made this decision with immediate effect so that the money embezzled from Venezuela's public treasury cannot be hidden.

Switzerland, which has been imposing sanctions on Venezuela since 2018, has so far frozen the assets of 54 high-ranking officials and banned them from traveling. The Swiss Federal Council issued a statement clarifying that this step was taken to prevent suspicious assets from being taken out of the country. It has also expressed its commitment that if the investigation confirms that the assets are illegal, they will be returned for the benefit of the Venezuelan people.

While Maduro is appearing in a US court, US President Donald Trump has started threatening military action against various countries. On Sunday, the day after the military operation to overthrow Maduro, Trump indicated another goal of his foreign strategy. Amid global criticism over Maduro's arrest, Trump has signaled he will become more aggressive by announcing his upcoming strategic goals. He has issued warnings targeting some countries in Europe, South America and Asia.

Trump's eye on Greenland

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump reiterated his claim that the Danish-controlled Greenland should be under US control. 

While returning to Washington from Florida, Trump said that Greenland is strategically important to US national security. 'There is an increase in Russian and Chinese ships in Greenland now,' he told reporters. 'From a security perspective, we need Greenland, which Denmark cannot support alone.'

When asked by reporters what Venezuela's military action means for Greenland, Trump gave a roundabout answer, saying, 'That's something they need to understand for themselves.' In response to Trump's remarks, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen urged them to stop threatening to seize Greenland. She said, “It makes no sense for the United States to say that it needs to occupy Greenland. The United States has no right to annex any of the three countries of the Danish kingdom.” 

Trump repeated his claim while speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Sunday after Frederiksen’s statement. He said, “Strategically, Greenland is essential to the United States. We need that territory.”

Danish officials are also angry about a map posted on social media by a former Trump administration official, which showed Greenland in the colors of the American flag with the words “gold” (soon). According to the international media AP, Trump aims to restore American dominance in the Western Hemisphere in his “national security strategy.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, however, has stood by Denmark. Starmer supported his counterpart Frederiksen’s stance and said that the United States has no claim to Greenland. Expressing solidarity with NATO ally Denmark, Starmer said Frederiksen's decision was correct.

Warning to Cuba and Colombia

Trump has also been very aggressive towards Cuba, considered a close ally of Maduro. Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Maduro of having Cuban bodyguards deployed to protect him and that they were the ones running Venezuela's internal espionage system. 

He has also targeted Colombia's leftist President Gustavo Petro. Calling Colombia the "cocaine factory of the world," Trump said, "He (Petro) will not be able to do this for a long time." Asked about the possibility of military action against Colombia, Trump said, "That sounds reasonable." The Trump administration has already imposed sanctions on Petro and his family for alleged involvement in drug trafficking and cut aid to Colombia. 

President Petro has responded to Trump's threats. President Petro has completely denied the accusations of being an 'illegal ruler' and 'drug trafficker' made against him. Petro wrote, 'I swore never to take up arms again, but I am ready to take up arms again to defend my homeland.'

Petro, who is also a former rebel fighter, took power in Colombia in 2022. Trump's latest statement indicates that tensions will increase in diplomatic relations between the two countries. Trump has been claiming that he will take strong steps to stop drug trafficking from South American countries during his election campaign.

Trump had warned that drug trafficking gangs are active in Mexico as well as Colombia. He said that he would control the criminal gangs there, saying that a large amount of drugs are coming from Mexico to the United States.

Trump had said that 'something needs to be done' in relation to Mexico. But in response, Mexican President Claudia Senwam has ruled out the possibility of US military intervention in her country and said that any kind of external intervention is unacceptable. 

Speaking at a press conference held on Monday, President Senwam made it clear that the American continent does not belong to any particular ideology or power, but to its people. She said, “We are ready to cooperate against drug trafficking, but we cannot be subordinated to anyone or accept interference.” Regarding the entry of US troops into Mexico, she said, “I have said no very firmly.”

Similarly, Trump had warned of military intervention, targeting the ongoing anti-government protests in Iran. He had said that military intervention was possible there, saying that 16 people had died in the protests in Iran over the past two weeks. He said, “If Iran starts killing peaceful protesters, the United States will come to their rescue. We are fully prepared (locked and loaded).’

Threat to pay a higher price than Maduro

While warning various countries around the world, Trump did not spare the newly appointed acting president of Venezuela. Trump has given a threatening warning to Delcy, who took over the responsibility of acting president with the order of the Supreme Court. In an interview with ‘The Atlantic’ magazine, Delcy warned that ‘if he does not make the right decision, he will pay a higher price than Maduro’. 

In a telephone interview on his way to the West Palm Beach Golf Course in Florida, Trump said, ‘If he does not do the right thing, he will pay a very high price, probably even higher than Maduro.’ Immediately after Trump’s warning, Delcy called for cooperation with him.

Delcy has proposed cooperation with the United States for ‘shared development’. Initially criticizing the US move as ‘illegal seizure of resources’, Delcy called for dialogue in a soft style via social media after Trump’s warning.

“We invite the US government to move forward with an agenda of shared development and cooperation within the framework of international law,” said Rodriguez, who also holds the position of oil minister. “President Donald Trump, our people and this region deserve peace and dialogue, not war.” Trump’s latest statement suggests that the US may take further military offensives and political steps to expand its influence in the Western Hemisphere. (With the help of the agency)