Blakeman: Maduro's 'regime' brought in drugs that 'are killing New Yorkers every day'

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican candidate for New York governor, responded to the strikes and capture on social media, calling Maduro an illegitimate leader and criticizing his opponent, Gov. Kathy Hochul.

"He's been running a drug-trafficking regime that floods American cities with lethal narcotics," Blakeman posted on Facebook Saturday afternoon. "Those drugs are killing New Yorkers every day. Yet Governor Hochul is more outraged by action against Maduro than by the carnage on our streets," he added.

Earlier Saturday, Hochul called the action a "flagrant abuse of power by acting without congressional approval" by Trump.

Blakeman wrote that drug trafficking crimes in New York have been linked to Venezuelan criminal networks and blamed the state's bail laws for allowing offenders to be released back into communities.