Courtesy: Gov. Ron DeSantis
Miami, FL. — Following the his detention and initial court appearance in New York, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated on Monday that the state attorney general’s office was “looking very seriously” at the potential of bringing state charges against Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
Maduro referred to himself as a “prisoner of war” and entered a “not guilty” plea to federal drug trafficking charges on Monday after the United States withdrew him from Venezuela on Saturday.
DeSantis stated that the state was examining its laws and that he was in favor of Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filing a state lawsuit against Maduro as well.
In a press conference held Tuesday in Clearwater, Florida, DeSantis stated, “He was obviously very involved with bringing drugs, particularly to Florida.” “You know what else he would do? He would empty his prisons and ship them to America across the border, and we would wind up with some of these people in Florida. This is not included in the federal indictment in New York.
DeSantis claimed that permitting some border crossers to enter the United States amounted to a “very hostile act” because they had been incarcerated members of the Tren de Aragua gang. Although intelligence agencies determined last year that Maduro did not oversee Tren de Aragua’s operations, the governor’s remarks are similar to those made by President Donald Trump during his campaign.
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly responded, “As in previous administrations, the entire Trump Administration coordinated to arrest the head of a major narco-trafficking Foreign Terrorist Organization, who has long been a fugitive of American justice,” when asked if DeSantis sought Trump’s approval. Once more, the globe will be at peace thanks to President Trump’s resolute leadership.
Questions on whether DeSantis had asked Trump’s approval to investigate state charges were not immediately answered by the governor’s office. Additionally, the governor’s comments were not immediately addressed by the state attorney general’s office. Uthmeier oversaw his 2024 presidential campaign and served as the governor’s chief of staff before that. Trump has endorsed him to remain in office in 2026.
In a flurry of social media tweets on Monday, DeSantis hinted at the prospect of state prosecution.
In response to a remark wondering whether there would be state charges in Florida, he asked his almost 3 million X followers to “Stay tuned…” Later on Monday, he responded to a query by outlining the reasons why both state and federal charges could be brought.
If charges are brought, this would not be the first time the state has added to federal legal measures. The governor and then-state attorney general, Ashley Moody, filed state charges against Ryan Routh, the now-convicted would-be Trump assassin, several months after the Department of Justice filed charges against him. Moody claimed that the FBI under the Biden administration was untrustworthy because it was also looking into Trump in two cases that resulted in felony charges.
DeSantis has already expressed doubt about the outcome of a Maduro trial if a Manhattan jury is used. Given that the state would probably be able to proceed more quickly than the federal government, the state attorney general’s office did not reply when asked if it would try to have a state trial go before a federal one.
DeSantis, who ran against Trump for the GOP’s 2024 presidential nominee, dismissed a question on Tuesday about whether, had he won the presidency, he would have ordered Maduro’s seizure.
“My man,” he added, “every day would be Christmas if all the ifs and buts were candy and nuts.” “Well, that’s just the way it is.”
However, he also stated that Maduro had not been duly elected in the July 2024 Venezuelan presidential election and that he had been outspoken for more than 15 years about how socialism in Venezuela has damaged Florida.
“They completely destroyed the nation,” DeSantis remarked. They caused the economy to collapse. People were suppressed by them. They transformed what ought to be the most affluent nation in South America into a place where people must eat trash in order to survive. I have therefore always considered Maduro to be illegitimate.
He went on to say that Maduro’s legal action was “absolutely appropriate” and that Venezuelans now have “an opportunity to be able to choose a better path.”
He stated, “I don’t think the United States can impose that.” However, I believe Maduro was actually suppressing the positive energy there, so they now have a way to perhaps steer their nation in a better direction. However, they have the potential to be extremely successful. There is no doubt about that.
The next governor might be in control of any legal action the state takes, which would put 2026 contenders on the spot if they agree with state charges. DeSantis will resign as governor in early 2027 due to term limits.
DeSantis’ actions were deemed “performative” by former Representative David Jolly, a Democratic candidate for governor, who also claimed that the federal indictment would take precedence. Jolly further accused DeSantis of “trying to find his moment to further his showdown with Trump.”
GOP contenders offered further encouragement. “Maduro should be duly prosecuted in Florida courts to the fullest extent of the law if he broke any state laws,” stated former House Speaker Paul Renner. “Throw the book at Maduro,” added Rep. Byron Donalds, the front-runner in the GOP contest with Trump’s support.
Make sure you are staying up-to-date with the latest and most important Florida news with Florida Insider. Whether you are interested in business, education, government, history, sports, real estate, nature, weather, or travel: we have something for everyone. Follow along for the best stories in the Sunshine State.
Chris began his writing as a hobby while attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Today he and his wife live in the Orlando area with their three children and dog.
