Former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including drug trafficking, during a court appearance in Manhattan on Monday, two days after he was captured by U.S. forces in Caracas.
Maduro, 63, appearing in court in an orange shirt and beige trousers, insisted he was innocent. Speaking in Spanish through an interpreter, he told the federal judge, “I’m innocent. I’m not guilty. I am the President of the Republic of Venezuela and I have been kidnapped since January 3. I was captured at my home in Caracas.”
His wife, Cilia Flores, also pleaded not guilty. The judge ordered that both remain in custody, with the next hearing scheduled for March 17.
Maduro and Flores were seized early Saturday during a U.S. military operation involving airstrikes, warplanes and naval support. Following his capture, former vice president Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim leader, sparking massive demonstrations in Caracas by Maduro supporters.
Opposition figure María Corina Machado condemned Rodríguez’s rise to power, accusing her of involvement in persecution, corruption and narcotrafficking. Speaking from an undisclosed location, Machado vowed to return to Venezuela soon after earlier leaving the country to receive her Nobel Peace Prize.
U.S. President Donald Trump declared that Washington is “in charge” in Venezuela and signaled plans to take control of the country’s struggling oil sector. He also ruled out immediate elections, saying Venezuela must first be stabilized. However, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested elections should hold “in short order.”
Maduro ruled Venezuela from 2013 after succeeding Hugo Chávez, but his administration has long been accused by the United States and the European Union of election fraud, repression, corruption and human rights abuses. His removal now leaves Venezuela’s 30 million citizens facing heightened political and economic uncertainty.
Former U.S. diplomat Brian Naranjo warned of possible internal power struggles, saying Rodríguez may face threats from powerful government figures, including Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and her brother, Jorge Rodríguez, head of the legislature. “Delcy had better be sleeping with one eye open,” he cautioned.
International concerns have also grown over the legality of the U.S. raid. Cuba reported 32 nationals killed during the operation, while U.S. officials confirmed injuries among their forces but no deaths. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said nearly 200 American personnel participated in the mission.
As Maduro now faces trial in New York, Venezuela enters an uncertain transition under interim leadership, with its political future still unclear.
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