Ron DeSantis says Florida ‘last in line’ for Nicolás Maduro prosecution

Gov. Ron DeSantis says Florida is “last in line” to bring charges against deposed Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro, clouding previous comments where DeSantis hoped charges would be brought in the Sunshine State.

DeSantis, speaking at Seminole High School, said the matter is “under discussion” in Attorney General James Uthmeier’s Office “but they’re not going to go into it and just do it to do it.”

“If something happens in these federal cases, the state would be last in line, no question,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis suggested that a rogue juror ruling against the federal government in the case brought in the Southern District of New York may trigger that process.

“I think the problem we have with the jury system right now is, like, our society is very politically divided,” DeSantis said.

“You go to a place like Manhattan, it only takes one juror to just say, ‘The hell with this,’ right? You know, maybe they don’t like that the President took him or this or that.”

DeSantis said the jury selection process is “supposed to weed that out,” but added that “it’s not always easy to do.”

The Governor said Florida won’t be “stepping on anybody’s toes” in terms of bringing a case, but will step up if needed.

“All I would say is that if I was Maduro, I would rather have a Manhattan jury than a Miami jury. I mean, I think that’s pretty much a guarantee,” DeSantis said.

Maduro faces charges related to narco-trafficking in New York. DeSantis has suggested that he could be legally liable for releasing prisoners who ended up in Florida as well. But it’s far from a sure thing whether that will happen.