Houston, Texas - Over the weekend, people turned out in cities across the US to protest the Trump administration's strikes on Caracas and abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

In New York City, a large crowd gathered on Sunday outside the Metropolitan Detention Center, where Maduro is currently being held on US charges of narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, and possession of machine guns.

Maduro is scheduled to appear before a federal judge in New York at noon on Monday to be formally notified about the charges against him.

"Biggest threat in the world today! Donald Trump and the USA!" demonstrators chanted outside the federal facility in Brooklyn.

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The Trump administration has repeatedly accused Maduro of heading a drug cartel. The Venezuelan leader has denied the allegations while accusing Washington of seeking regime change in order to gain access to the country's massive oil reserves.

In a Saturday press conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump made clear that regime change and controlling Venezuela's oil riches were the primary objectives of what it dubbed "Operation Absolute Resolve."

"A day after the Trump administration bombed Venezuela, abducted its President, and claimed they would 'run' the country and take its oil, New Yorkers are making it clear: we don't approve of the illegal kidnapping of the President of a sovereign country!" the People's Forum posted on X.

Over Saturday and Sunday, anti-war demonstrations were scheduled to take place in more than 150 cities around the country, according to the ANSWER Coalition website.

In Houston, protesters gathered at a key intersection near The Galleria shopping mall to demand an end to US aggression in Venezuela, Palestine, and around the world.

Participants erupted in chants of "Stop bombing Venezuela!" and "US out of everywhere!" as cars drove by honking their horns in support.

The Texas metropolis is known as the center of the US oil and gas industry. Many of the companies expected to benefit from Maduro's ouster – including Chevron and ExxonMobil – have their headquarters in Houston.

Speakers at Sunday's protest included representatives of the Palestinian Youth Movement, ANSWER Coalition, Party for Socialism and Liberation, and Democratic Socialists of America. They encouraged people to join the struggle against US imperialism and capitalist exploitation by joining an organization.

"In the fourth largest city in this country, what are we going to do about it?" one DSA activist asked. "We're gonna stand up and fight!" a member of the crowd responded.