1 day ago
Last Updated:January 06, 2026, 08:39 IST
Nicolás Maduro is currently held in U.S. custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Maduro’s State TV Performances Seen as Provocation by Trump Team
Nicolas Maduro’s regular appearances on Venezuelan state television played a key role in the Trump administration’s decision to take military action against Venezuela, according to a report by The New York Times.
Dance moves seen as provocation
The report said senior officials in US President Donald Trump’s team viewed Maduro’s light-hearted television performances as a deliberate provocation. One official described the moment that pushed matters over the edge as “one dance move too many".
In one widely shared video, Maduro was seen dancing to music on state television. A recorded voice repeated the words “No crazy war" in English. The broadcast came just days after the United States carried out a strike on a Venezuelan dock linked to drug trafficking.
In November, Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro tried to prevent being from removed from power by dancing to a musical remix of his own "No War, Yes Peace" speech.Yes, this is real.pic.twitter.com/cS3Kxj7oNl— Ryan Saavedra (@RyanSaavedra) January 3, 2026
Rejection of US ultimatum
According to people familiar with the talks, Maduro had earlier rejected an ultimatum from President Trump asking him to step down and accept exile in Turkey. Instead of lowering tensions, he continued making public appearances that projected defiance and calm.
White House interprets defiance
US officials quoted in the report said these actions convinced some in the White House that Maduro was trying to call Washington’s bluff. This, they said, led to a decision to act on earlier military threats against Venezuela.
US operation in Caracas
On Saturday, January 3, an elite US military unit launched a pre-dawn operation in Caracas. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were detained and taken to New York. He is now set to face drug trafficking charges in the United States.
Meanwhile, Nicolás Maduro is currently held in U.S. custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York.
On Monday, January 5, Maduro and wife Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty before the U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein to narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation, and weapons charges; next hearing set for March 17.
Location :
United States of America (USA)
First Published:
January 06, 2026, 08:05 IST
News world ‘One Dance Move Too Many’: How Maduro’s Regular TV Appearances Provoked Trump To Attack Venezuela
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