On January 5, 2026, the world’s gaze turned sharply to Manhattan, where ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, appeared in a U.S. federal court after a stunning U.S. military operation removed them from power in Caracas. The spectacle, unfolding just days after American forces stormed Venezuela in a meticulously planned strike, has sent shockwaves through Latin America and the global diplomatic community, raising questions about sovereignty, international law, and the future of Venezuela itself.
Maduro and Flores, both facing serious charges—narco-terrorism conspiracy for Maduro, and cocaine importation conspiracy and weapons offenses for both—stood before Judge Alvin Hellerstein in the Southern District of New York. The hearing marked their first public appearance since being captured in a dramatic nighttime raid that reportedly involved nearly 200 U.S. personnel and left parts of Caracas in ruins. Flores appeared in court with visible bandages and bruising, while both she and Maduro insisted on their continued status as Venezuela’s legitimate leaders, referring to themselves as first lady and president, respectively.
Maduro was adamant in his defense, declaring in Spanish, “I am not guilty. I am a decent man. I am still the president of my country,” according to NBC News. He went further, telling the court, “I am a prisoner of war,” and claimed he had been “kidnapped” from his home in Caracas. Flores echoed his not guilty plea, stating, “Not guilty, completely innocent.” Their defense is being led by Barry Pollack, a prominent Washington trial lawyer known for representing Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. Pollack, who filed a notice of appearance as Maduro’s attorney just hours before the hearing, told reporters, “I think what President Maduro said in court speaks for itself.”
The legal proceedings are only one part of the unfolding drama. In Caracas, Delcy Rodríguez, formerly Venezuela’s vice president, was sworn in as the country’s new president following Maduro’s removal. In a televised address, Rodríguez lamented the “kidnapping” of Maduro and Flores, calling the U.S. action an “illegitimate military aggression.” She invoked the spirit of revolutionary hero Simón Bolívar and vowed not to rest until Venezuela achieved its “destiny” as a free and sovereign nation.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump made no secret of his administration’s intentions. “We’re gonna run it, fix it,” Trump said aboard Air Force One, referring to Venezuela and its vast oil reserves. He warned Rodríguez, now the interim leader, to cooperate or face a “very big price.” Trump further declared that America would maintain a hold on Venezuela’s oil as “maximum leverage,” and even issued fresh threats against neighboring countries, including Colombia and Mexico, while predicting the downfall of Cuba’s regime.
International reaction has been swift and deeply divided. European leaders, while measured in their direct criticism of Trump, have called on Washington to provide justification for the operation. German government spokesperson Sebastian Hille insisted that the U.S. must “explain to the international community on what basis the actions we have witnessed over the last few days should be judged.” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized the primacy of international law, saying, “It is not straightforward. It is complicated.” The European Union, for its part, noted that the U.S. intervention could be an opportunity for a democratic transition in Venezuela, but stressed the need to abide by the U.N. Charter.
Russia and China, traditional allies of Venezuela, have condemned the operation in stark terms. Russia’s U.N. Permanent Representative Vasily Nebenz called it “a return to an era of lawlessness,” and demanded the release of Maduro and Flores. Wu Xinbo, dean at Fudan University in Shanghai, questioned U.S. credibility, asking, “How can you trust a country that would deal with its weak neighbors this way?” According to NBC News, Chinese state media have portrayed the U.S. as a threat to the international order, using the incident to bolster Beijing’s own global standing.
Back in the United States, political divisions have flared. Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have defended the operation as “a decisive and justified action,” insisting it was not regime change but “demand for a change of behavior by a regime.” Democrats, however, have voiced deep concerns about the precedent set, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer warning that such unilateral actions “always end up hurting the United States.” The exclusion of the Senate Judiciary Committee from briefings on the operation drew rare bipartisan rebuke, with Senators Chuck Grassley and Dick Durbin calling the administration’s refusal “unacceptable.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi stated on Fox News that “everything” remains on the table for Maduro, Flores, and other indicted officials, including Maduro’s son and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello. Bondi asserted the operation was “well within the president’s Article II powers,” while Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche dismissed concerns about international law violations, saying, “Absolutely, positively not.”
In the streets outside the Manhattan courthouse, emotions ran high. Venezuelan immigrants and exiles, many draped in their national flag, gathered to celebrate what they saw as the long-awaited removal of a dictator. “This was a light at the end of the tunnel and it was so joyful,” Pia Baez told NBC News, her voice trembling with emotion. Others, however, protested the U.S. intervention, chanting, “Hands off Venezuela’s oil, hands off Venezuela’s soil!” and demanding the release of Maduro and Flores. Activist Rae Lee criticized the use of American resources for foreign interventions, arguing, “It doesn’t serve the American people.”
The fallout from the U.S. operation has not been limited to Venezuela. Cuba, a longtime ally, reported the loss of 32 officers in the strikes, deepening uncertainty on the island. Switzerland moved quickly to freeze any assets linked to Maduro and his associates, aiming to prevent illicit outflows and pledging to return any such funds to benefit the Venezuelan people.
As for Venezuela’s future, the situation remains volatile. While Delcy Rodríguez has called for unity and invited U.S. collaboration, the country is under a state of emergency, with authorities ordering the arrest of anyone suspected of supporting the U.S. attack. Reports of gunfire in Caracas have heightened tensions, though U.S. officials deny involvement. Oil markets have reacted sharply, with shares of Chevron and other energy companies jumping amid expectations of renewed activity in Venezuela’s oil sector.
The next court hearing for Maduro and Flores is set for March 17, 2026. As the legal and political battles play out in New York and Caracas, the world is left to grapple with the implications of America’s boldest intervention in Latin America in decades—a move that, for better or worse, has redrawn the lines of global power and reignited debates over justice, sovereignty, and the rule of law.
