President Donald Trump has ruled out holding snap elections in Venezuela in the next 30 days, as captured president Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty to drug charges at a New York court on Monday.
"We have to fix the country first. You can't have an election. There is no way the people could even vote," the U.S. president claimed. "We have to nurse the country back to health."
Trump also suggested the U.S. government could reimburse oil companies for expanding operations in Venezuela in under 18 months. "I think we can do it in less time than that, but it’ll be a lot of money," Trump told NBC News.
Earlier, Maduro in the court, declared that he had been "kidnapped" and remained president of Venezuela.
"I am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man. I am still president of my country," Maduro, 63, said through an interpreter, before being cut off by U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein in Manhattan federal court.
Meanwhile, gunfire was reportedly heard near the Venezuelan presidential palace as Trump administration officials briefed Congress on the U.S. raid that led to the capture of deposed president Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Key Points
- Nicolas Maduro says he is a 'decent man' as he pleads not guilty
- María Corina Machado says Trump's action in Venezuela 'huge step for humanity'
- Speaker Johnson: 'We don’t expect U.S. troops on the ground'
- Delcy Rodriguez officially sworn in as interim president of Venezuela
- What are the charges against Maduro?
Trump says the U.S. government may reimburse oil companies
04:43 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarPresident Donald Trump said the U.S. government may reimburse oil companies for expanding operations in Venezuela.
The president told NBC News that he believes US oil operations in Venezuela could be brought “up and running” in under 18 months."I think we can do it in less time than that, but it’ll be a lot of money," Trump said.
"A tremendous amount of money will have to be spent, and the oil companies will spend it, and then they’ll get reimbursed by us or through revenue," he added.
The U.S. administration is planning to meet with executives from U.S. oil companies later this week to discuss boosting Venezuelan oil production.
The meetings are crucial to the administration's hopes of getting top U.S. oil companies back into the South American nation after its government, nearly two decades ago, took control of U.S.-led energy operations there.
The three biggest U.S. oil companies – Exxon Mobil, ConocoPhillips, and Chevron – have not yet had any conversations with the administration about president Nicolas Maduro's ouster, four oil industry executives familiar with the matter told the Associated Press.
It contradicted Trump's statements over the weekend that he had already held meetings with "all" the U.S. oil companies, both before and since Maduro was seized.
"Nobody in those three companies has had conversations with the White House about operating in Venezuela, pre-removal or post-removal to this point," one of the sources said on Monday.
Watch: Hakeem Jeffries says Americans 'do not support' Trump and his 'cronies' running Venezuela
04:40 , Rachel DobkinJeffries: The American people certainly do not support the notion that Trump and his cronies like Stephen Miller, who is a joke and a toxic embarrassment, are going to run Venezuela. They're talking about making Venezuela great again. They haven't been able to make America great… pic.twitter.com/9AXBY5SBZ9
— Acyn (@Acyn) January 5, 2026
Rand Paul calls Trump's rhetoric about going after more countries 'escalatory'
04:20 , Rachel DobkinSenator Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, has called President Donald Trump’s rhetoric about going after more countries “escalatory.”
After conducting a military operation in Caracas and capturing now-deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Trump has threatened to take action against other countries, including Colombia, which he says is “run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States. “
“To say that Colombia is next—I think that kind of rhetoric is escalatory,” Paul said, per MeidasTouch Network.
Paul: And then to say that Colombia is next—I think that kind of rhetoric is escalatory. I mean, the whole idea of ridiculing Canada for months and months has led to Canada buying zero bourbon…
— Acyn (@Acyn) January 5, 2026
Reporter: Does that make you think that Trump wants to take Greenland?
Paul: I… pic.twitter.com/HlAkIApABN
Trump says Venezuela 'can’t have an election' within the next month
04:00 , Rachel DobkinPresident Donald Trump told NBC News Monday Venezuela “can’t have an election” within the next month.
"We have to fix the country first. You can’t have an election. There’s no way the people could even vote,” Trump said, adding, “No, it’s going to take a period of time. We have — we have to nurse the country back to health."
Watch: Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado praises Trump
03:50 , Rachel DobkinVenezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado praised President Donald Trump on Fox News Monday night for the U.S. raid on Caracas that led to the capture of deposed President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Machado: But I do want to say on behalf of the Venezuelan people how grateful we for Trump’s courageous vision pic.twitter.com/x7SHap5jxW
— Acyn (@Acyn) January 6, 2026
Speaker Johnson: 'We don’t expect U.S. troops on the ground'
03:43 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarSpeaker Mike Johnson on Monday said U.S. troops would have a limited role in Venezuela after top deputies to president Donald Trump briefed senior congressional leaders on the arrest of sitting president Nicolas Maduro.
“We don’t expect troops on the ground,” Johnson told reporters.
“We don’t expect direct involvement in any other way beyond just coercing the … the interim government to get that going. I expect that there will be an election called in Venezuela. … It should happen in short order.”
The statement appears to contradict the stance of President Trump, who claimed over the weekend that he was open to sending U.S. forces into Venezuela.
"We're not afraid of boots on the ground," Trump told reporters.
Democrats react to Trump saying oil companies will be reimbursed for possible Venezuela investments: 'Mob boss politics'
03:40 , Rachel DobkinDemocratic senators have reacted to President Donald Trump saying oil companies will be reimbursed for investing in Venezuela’s energy sector.
Trump told NBC News Monday, "A tremendous amount of money will have to be spent and the oil companies will spend it, and then they’ll get reimbursed by us or through revenue.”
Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said, per NBC News’ Senior Congressional Reporter Scott Wong, "How does a CEO go to his shareholders and say, 'No dividends this year -- we're investing in Venezuela.'"
.@SenBlumenthal, D-Conn.: "One of the biggest questions in my mind is, do the oil companies want to invest billions of dollars in oil in this absolutely unpredictable situation, relying on Donald Trump?"
— Scott Wong (@scottwongDC) January 5, 2026
"When the price of oil is going down, the amounts that have to be invested…
Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey said Trump is practicing “mob boss politics, and we see it extending from the domestic policies into foreign policy.”
"He is essentially running an extortion foreign policy right now, where everything he is trying to do with regards to Venezuela is about: What can we get out of it?"
.@AndyKimNJ, who has a nat sec/foreign policy BG, says Trump is practicing "mob boss politics, and we see it extending from the domestic policies into foreign policy"
— Scott Wong (@scottwongDC) January 5, 2026
"He is essentially running an extortion foreign policy right now, where everything he is trying to do with…
Watch: Karoline Leavitt calls Venezuela raid 'one of the greatest foreign policy and military achievements' for U.S.
03:30 , Rachel DobkinLeavitt: This is one of the greatest foreign policy achievements ever… As Joe Biden used to falsely say, we can now truly say, America is back thanks to the courage of Trump. We will make sure this country aligns with the interests of the US. pic.twitter.com/zG2NMxJRYR
— Acyn (@Acyn) January 6, 2026
Maduro says he is a 'decent man' as he pleads not guilty
03:23 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarToppled Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty to narcotics charges after president Donald Trump's stunning capture of him rattled world leaders and left officials in Caracas scrambling to regroup.
"I am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man. I am still president of my country," Maduro, 63, said through an interpreter, before being cut off by U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein in Manhattan federal court.
Maduro, in the court, declared that he had been "kidnapped" and remained president of Venezuela.
He listened to an interpreter through headphones as Hellerstein summarised the charges.
Maduro's wife Cilia Flores also pleaded not guilty. The next court date was set for March 17.
María Corina Machado says Trump's action in Venezuela 'huge step for humanity'
03:21 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarVenezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado praised Donald Trump and claimed the U.S. president's actions in Venezuela were a "huge step for humanity".
Machado told Fox News that President Nicolás Maduro "absolutely controlled the system and the electoral council", adding that it was impossible to carry out independent elections in Venezuela.
But "we defeated him by a landslide", she said.
The Nobel Peace Laureate said she hasn't spoken to Trump since October 2025.
"Actually, I spoke with President Trump on October 10, the same day the (Noble Peace) Prize was announced, (but) not since then," Machado said.
She was awarded the prize for her fight against what the Norwegian Nobel Committee called a dictatorship. Machado – widely seen as Maduro's most credible opponent – left Venezuela last month to travel to Norway to accept the award, and hasn't returned since.
"I'm planning to go as soon as possible," she told Fox News when asked about her plans to return to Venezuela.
The interview was Machado's first since the U.S. launched strikes on Venezuela on Saturday and captured its president.
Trump says oil companies will be reimbursed for Venezuela investment
03:20 , Rachel DobkinPresident Donald Trump told NBC News Monday American oil companies will get reimbursed if they invest in Venezuela’s energy infrastructure.
"A tremendous amount of money will have to be spent and the oil companies will spend it, and then they’ll get reimbursed by us or through revenue,” he said.
After the U.S. captured now-deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Trump told reporters last Saturday, “We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure and start making money for the country.”
Watch: Republican Rep. Jim Jordan dodges question about possible boots on the ground in Venezuela
03:00 , Rachel DobkinHUNT: Do you support putting American boots on the ground in Venezuela for a long period of time?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 5, 2026
JIM JORDAN: That's a question for later. I think most Americans trust the president to do what's in the best interests of the American people pic.twitter.com/SvNpL295Ab
White House official says U.S. is 'not involved' in reported Caracas gunfire
02:50 , Rachel DobkinA White House official told CNN that the U.S. is “not involved” in gunfire reportedly heard near the Venezuelan presidential palace in the capital city of Caracas Monday night.
Bernie Sanders says Trump has 'made the world a significantly less safe place'
02:40 , Rachel DobkinSenator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, told CNN’s Jake Tapper Monday evening that President Donald Trump has “made the world significantly less safe.”
“If the United States can attack and kidnap the president of Venezuela — who clearly is corrupt, clearly is a bad news guy, but he’s the president there — if we can do that, what is stopping any other country on Earth, for whatever reason, or terrorist organizations, from launching military attacks,” Sanders said.
The senator claimed that Trump has “violated international law” with the raid on Nicolás Maduro.
Chuck Schumer says Trump briefing on Venezuela operation 'posed far more questions than it answered'
02:30 , Rachel DobkinSenate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Monday night that a briefing by Trump administration officials on its operation in Venezuela “posed far more questions than it answered.”
The Trump administration's briefing on Venezuela posed far more questions than it answered.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 6, 2026
When the United States engages in this kind of regime change and so-called nation building, it always ends up hurting the United States.
I left the briefing feeling that it would again. pic.twitter.com/PXexGb1mzc
Gunfire heard near Caracas presidential palace: report
02:20 , Rachel DobkinGunfire rang out near the Venezuelan presidential palace in the capital city of Caracas, Monday night, CNN reported.
Videos appear to show lights from drones and anti-aircraft fire, according to the outlet. It’s unclear what the reported gunfire was in relation to.
Hakeem Jeffries takes jab at Trump admin over Venezuela
02:00 , Rachel DobkinHouse Minority Speaker Hakeem Jeffries has criticized the Trump administration for its involvement in Venezuela.
“They’re talking about making Venezuela great again. They haven’t even been able to make America great again,” Jeffries told reporters Monday.
After the U.S. captured deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, President Donald Trump said his administration would temporarily run the country.
Watch: Stephen Miller says Venezuela needs U.S. 'permission' to run economy
01:40 , Rachel Dobkin.@StephenM on Venezuela: "We have the United States military stationed outside the country. We set the terms and conditions. We have a complete embargo on all of their oil, and their ability to do commerce...The United States is running the country during this transition period.… pic.twitter.com/T2ylJChLn4
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 5, 2026
Stephen Miller says U.S. is 'in charge' of Venezuela
01:20 , Rachel DobkinWhite House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller has said the U.S. is “in charge” of Venezuela.
“By definition, we are in charge because we have the United States military stationed outside the country. We set the terms and conditions. We have a complete embargo on all of their oil and their ability to do commerce,” he told CNN’s Jake Tapper Monday.
Watch: Pete Hegseth says nearly 200 troops had been to Caracas in Venezuela operation
01:00 , Rachel DobkinSecretary Hegseth: "...As nearly 200 of our greatest Americans went downtown in Caracas, seems those Russian air defenses didn’t work so well, did they?... Grabbed an indicted individual wanted by American justice in support of law enforcement, without a single American killed.” pic.twitter.com/7yDA42e1Ri
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 5, 2026
Senate leader Thune says notification of Venezuela operation was 'sufficient'
00:40 , Rachel DobkinSenate Majority Leader John Thune has said the Trump administration’s notification of its operation in Venezuela to capture deposed President Nicolás Maduro was “sufficient.”
“I felt that the notification [of the Venezuela strikes], considering the scope of the mission, was sufficient for me,” he told reporters.
Meanwhile, @LeaderJohnThune to reporters ⬇️
— Sam Lisker (@slisker) January 5, 2026
“I felt that the notification [of the Venezuela strikes], considering the scope of the mission, was sufficient for me.”
Also said that he was not notified in advance. https://t.co/VPURx9ErwT
Maduro’s capture was completed without authorization from Congress. President Donald Trump says lawmakers were left in the dark out of fear someone would leak details about the operation.
Senate Democrat Mark Warner told Scripps News that high-profile members of Congress should have been notified in advance.
Watch: Chuck Schumer says Trump has 'opened a Pandora's box' with Venezuela operation
00:20 , Rachel Dobkin.@SenSchumer on Venezuela: "Maduro is a tyrant. Nobody mourns what has happened to him...Now the crucial question is what comes next for Venezuela and, more importantly, for the United States. Nobody really seems to know. The administration's story keeps changing by the hour." pic.twitter.com/SjwNRSgwxr
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 5, 2026
Hakeem Jeffries sends warning to Trump administration about military action in Venezuela
00:00 , Rachel DobkinHouse Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries warned the Trump administration against taking further military action in Venezuela without Congressional approval.
“No further military action should be taken in Venezuela or anywhere else without explicit Congressional approval,” Jefferies told reporters Monday.
The capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was completed without authorization from Congress. President Donald Trump says lawmakers were left in the dark out of fear someone would leak details about the operation.
Watch: Republican Rep. Jim Jordan asked if U.S. should run Venezuela
Monday 5 January 2026 23:40 , Rachel DobkinHUNT: Do you think the US should run Venezuela?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 5, 2026
JIM JORDAN: I think we're gonna work on making sure there's a better outcome for American and for the people of Venezuela. I trust the president pic.twitter.com/c5arFaOSZC
Trump officials brief Congress on Venezuela operation
Monday 5 January 2026 23:20 , Rachel DobkinTop officials from the Trump administration, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, are briefing Congressional leaders on the military operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley and Democratic Senator Dick Durbin said in a rare joint statement that there was “no legitimate basis” to keep them from the closed-door meeting.
“President Trump and Secretary Rubio have stated that this was a law enforcement operation that was made at the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) request, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The Senate Judiciary Committee has jurisdiction over DOJ, FBI and DEA, and all three agencies are led by individuals who our Committee vetted and processed,” the two senators said.
“There is no legitimate basis for excluding the Senate Judiciary Committee from this briefing. The administration’s refusal to acknowledge our Committee’s indisputable jurisdiction in this matter is unacceptable and we are following up to ensure the Committee receives warranted information regarding Maduro’s arrest,” the statement continued.
Watch: Republican Rep. Jim Jordan says he trusts Trump with Venezuela operation
Monday 5 January 2026 23:00 , Rachel DobkinRep. Jim Jordan: "I trust the commander in chief. I think the vast majority of Americans do as well. This guy projects strengths. Look at the track record." pic.twitter.com/BtDXD1T2lQ
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 5, 2026
Hakeem Jeffries pushes back on Trump admin's claims about Maduro capture
Monday 5 January 2026 22:40 , Rachel DobkinHouse Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries pushes back on the Trump administration’s claims that the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was a “law enforcement action.”
“It was military action, not a law enforcement action,” Jeffries told reporters Monday.
Maduro was indicted by the Justice Department in 2020 on drug charges, which he pleaded not guilty to Monday.
Watch: Venezuelan interim president condemns kidnapping of Maduro as she's sworn in
Monday 5 January 2026 22:20 , Rachel DobkinWhere is Venezuela’s opposition leader Maria Corina Machado? The Nobel peace laureate scorned by Trump
Monday 5 January 2026 22:00 , Maira ButtThe capture of Nicolas Maduro in an unprecedented US military operation has left a political vacuum in Venezuela and reignited hopes that opposition leader Maria Corina Machado could spearhead a democratic revival in the country.
Machado, 58, has been living in hiding due to security risks and threats to her life since the last disputed election in Venezuela.
Despite Machado releasing a statement supporting Maduro’s exit, the exiled opposition leader’s whereabouts are still unknown. Trump sparked alarm on Sunday after suggesting she could not become leader of Venezuela as she lacked “respect” and “support” in the country.
His comments appeared to be driven by his anger over her acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize, with sources close to Trump suggesting she had committed the “ultimate sin” by refusing to give the prize to the US President.
Schumer accuses Trump of ignoring domestic issue
Monday 5 January 2026 21:45 , Alex WoodwardSenate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer spoke on the Senate floor, Monday afternoon, blasting the administration for attacking Venezuela while ignoring a critical domestic issue he says will remain Democrats’ focus.
He called Maduro a “tyrant” but said Trump has broken a promise to put a stop to America’s involvement in “endless wars.”
“We will focus on these like a laser: the high cost of living, affordability,” he said.
What exactly can Congress do about Venezuela? And will it do anything?
Monday 5 January 2026 21:30 , Eric GarciaStill, as much as the Trump administration and Secretary of State Marco Rubio call the operation in Venezuela a law enforcement mission, it has all the trappings of a military operation, meaning this is strictly within the purview of Congress.
Read more from The Independent’s Capitol Hill correspondent Eric Garcia:
What exactly can Congress do about Venezuela? And will it do anything?
Senate could vote to limit Trump’s war power in Venezuela this week
Monday 5 January 2026 21:01 , Ariana BaioThe Senate could vote this week on a measure that would limit President Donald Trump’s war power authority in Venezuela.
Democrats have been appealing to several Republicans to support the measure and are believed to have support from two Republicans – Senators Rand Paul and Lisa Murkowski, according to CNN.
Senate leader Thune hopes briefings will provide answers on Venezuela
Monday 5 January 2026 20:45 , Ariana BaioSenate Majority Leader John Thune said he’s hopeful the briefings with Trump administration officials will get lawmakers answers on what President Donald Trump intends to run Venezuela.
“I’m hoping to find out more,” Thune told reporters Monday afternoon when asked about Trump’s assertion.
Watch: US Ambassador Mike Waltz tells UN Maduro grab was 'law enforcement operation' not war
Monday 5 January 2026 20:30 , Independent VideoTrump officials to brief members of Congress on capture of Maduro
Monday 5 January 2026 20:24 , Ariana BaioSeveral Trump administration officials are set to brief top lawmakers in the House and Senate, Monday, about the government’s raid on Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro’s home that ultimately led to his capture.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Attorney General Pam Bondi are expected to participate in the briefing, a person familiar with the situation told the New York Times.
Only a select few members of Congress, known as “The Gang of Eight,” are expected to be part of the briefing. The group consists of House and Senate leaders from both parties, as well as the chairpeople and ranking members on intelligence committees.
The chairpeople and ranking members of the House and Senate Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees may join as well.
Traditionally, the Gang of Eight is notified of major covert military operations, but this time around, they were left in the dark
Rodríguez maintains Maduro as president of Venezuela during swearing-in
Monday 5 January 2026 20:00 , Ariana BaioDespite being sworn in as the acting President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez maintained that Nicolás Maduro was the president of the country during her swearing-in ceremony Monday afternoon.
“I come with grief for the suffering that the people of Venezuela have been caused following an illegitimate aggression against our homeland,” Rodríguez said, according to a Spanish-English translation of the video.
Rodríguez called the U.S.’s recent capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, the “kidnapping of two heroes.”
“I will not rest… until I see Venezuela in the destiny that belongs to it,” Rodríguez added.
Delcy Rodriguez officially sworn in as interim president
Monday 5 January 2026 19:25 , Ariana BaioDelcy Rodríguez was officially sworn in to serve as the interim president of Venezuela Monday afternoon after the deposed President Nicolás Maduro was captured by the U.S. and charged with four federal counts.
Trump wants to rule Venezuela by force – but he’s getting the US into a mess
Monday 5 January 2026 19:20 , Sam KileyTwo different groups bustle up to the visiting foreigner, a gringo approaching the bridge from Colombia into Venezuela.
“Don’t go left or right of the road – you’re okay on the bridge – but don’t wander into these streets left or right. They’re controlled by Tren de Agua gangsters who will rob you or kill you,” says a young woman sweeping drizzle out of her eyes.
Read more from Sam Kiley:
Trump wants to rule Venezuela by force – but he’s getting the US into a mess
Courtroom sketches show Maduro and Flores
Monday 5 January 2026 19:03 , Ariana Baio
Maduro’s son pledges ‘unconditional support’ to Delcy Rodriguez
Monday 5 January 2026 19:00 , Ariana BaioNicolás Maduro Guerra, the son of deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, threw his “unconditional support” behind the interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, Monday during the opening of the legislative session.
“To you, Delcy Eloína, my unconditional support for the difficult task that lies before you. Count on me, count on my family, count on our resolve to take the right steps in this responsibility that falls to you today,” Maduro Guerra said, according to a Spanish-English translation.
Watch: The Independent's Sam Kiley reports from the Venezuelan border
Monday 5 January 2026 18:30 , Ariana BaioDelcy Rodriguez: Who is the Maduro ally serving as Venezuela’s new leader
Monday 5 January 2026 18:03 , James C Reynolds, Athena StavrouDelcy Rodriguez will serve as the acting president of Venezuela following Nicolas Maduro’s sudden capture by the United States.
The vice-president, who is also finance minister and minister for oil, will step into a precarious position after Donald Trump claimed that the US would “run” the country – without elaborating on what this would mean.
Read more here:
Flores suffered injuries during capture, attorney says
Monday 5 January 2026 18:00 , Ariana Baio, Alex WoodwardAttorneys for Flores told Judge Hellerstein that their client experienced “significant injuries” during her capture, including “severe bruising” and a possible fracture.
The extent of her injuries is unclear at this time, but Flores appeared to have a bruise or marking on her face during her court appearance.
Flores’s attorney pointed out her visible injuries while explaining them to the judge.
Inside the courtroom: Maduro uses plea to make a statement
Monday 5 January 2026 17:53 , Alex WoodwardWhen Judge Hellerstein asked him to identify himself, Maduro stood up, speaking clearly and in a firm voice in Spanish.
He identified himself as the president of Venezuela and a “prisoner of war” and was “captured” in Caracas.
Hellerstein paused him and asked him only to identify himself. “There will be a time and place to go over all of this,” he said.
He waived a formal reading of his indictment.
“I have it in my hand for the first time,” he said in Spanish. “I would rather read it personally.”
When asked for his plea, Maduro said in Spanish, “I am innocent … I am not guilty. I am a decent man.”
Asked again for his plea, he said, “I am not guilty of anything that is mentioned here.”
Inside the courtroom: Maduro scribbles notes throughout hearing
Monday 5 January 2026 17:48 , Alex WoodwardMaduro and his wife entered court in orange prison shirts covered with black V-neck t-shirts, khaki pants and orange slip-on sneakers.
He scribbled notes through the hearing on a white notepad and listened intently throughout on headphones with an interpreter translating for him.
He leaned on his elbows and tented his fingers, appearing to concentrate as the judge explained the rules of evidence and his rights as a defendant
Court hearing concludes
Monday 5 January 2026 17:45 , Ariana BaioAfter going over typical courtroom housekeeping, Judge Hellerstein has dismissed the first appearance and arraignment.
Maduro and Flores are expected in court next on March 17.
Lawyers for Maduro say they will not seek release on bail
Monday 5 January 2026 17:32 , Ariana BaioBarry Pollack, a lawyer representing Maduro, told the judge they are seeking release on bail at this time but may return to the issue later.
That means Maduro will return to the Metropolitan Detention Center.
Flores pleads not guilty to three counts
Monday 5 January 2026 17:20 , Ariana BaioCilia Flores has also pleaded “not guilty” to all charges.
Maduro pleads not guilty to all charges
Monday 5 January 2026 17:15 , Ariana BaioNicolás Maduro has entered a “not guilty” plea to the four charges brought by federal prosecutors.
When asked to enter the plea, Maduro said, through a translator, “I am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man.”
Defendants typically cannot make a statement in court, but because a translator is being used, Maduro managed to add more in.
Maduro enters courtroom with ankle shackles
Monday 5 January 2026 17:03 , Ariana BaioNicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores have entered the courtroom at Daniel Patrick Moynihan in downtown Manhattan, according to reporters with access to technology in the courthouse.
Maduro entered wearing ankle shackles.
Maduro and Flores will be represented by Barry Pollack and Mark Donnelly going forward.
What are the charges against Maduro?
Monday 5 January 2026 16:57 , Ariana BaioMaduro is facing four federal charges related to drug trafficking and weapons offenses, while Flores is facing three.
Maduro has previously faced similar charges, but the charges are new for Flores.
Count one: Narco-terrorism conspiracy
Prosecutors say Maduro and two co-defendants did or intended to possess and distribute five kilograms containing detectable cocaine to an organization that engaged in terrorism. Those organizations include the Sinaloa Cartel, Tren de Aragua, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and others.
Count two: Cocaine importation conspiracy
Maduro, Flores and co-defendants are accused of manufacturing, possessing and intending to distribute the controlled substance into the U.S. and into waters within 12 miles of the U.S. coast.
Count three: Possession of machine guns and destructive devices
Maduro, Flores and others are accused of possessing and carrying machine guns and/or other destructive devices in relation to drug trafficking crimes.
Count four: Conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices
Maduro’s son accuses US of abducting his father
Monday 5 January 2026 16:54 , Ariana BaioNicolás Maduro Guerra, the son of deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, accused the United States of “kidnapping” his father and stepmother in a military operation that took place over the weekend.
Speaking from the floor of Venezuela’s National Assembly, Nicolás Maduro Guerra said the U.S. was trampling international law by extraditing his father and stepmother for drug-trafficking and weapons charges.
“If we normalize the kidnapping of a head of state, no country is safe,” Nicolás Maduro Guerra, a member of the national assembly, said in a translated speech.
“I assure you, they are great people, and they promoted the revolutionary ideas and they will never give up,” he added.
Nicolás Maduro Guerra, 35, was also charged alongside his father and stepmother in drug-trafficking and weapons charges, according to the indictment. Prosecutors said he is sometimes referred to as “Nicolasito” or “The Prince.”
Watch: Russia calls on US to 'immediately release' Venezuela’s Maduro at UN Security Council
Monday 5 January 2026 16:30 , Ariana BaioHow the arrest of Nicolás Maduro transpired
Monday 5 January 2026 16:15 , Ariana BaioFor months, the U.S. had been preparing to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolàs Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in what is now known as “Operation Absolute Resolve.”
- Friday evening, Trump gave the green light for the operation. Hours later, dozens of U.S. forces entered Venezuela’s airspace and launched weapons to disable the country’s air defense system. Facing return fire, U.S. troops responded with “overwhelming force and self-defense.”
- Around 1 a.m. ET (6 a.m. GMT) Saturday, helicopters landed at Maduro’s compound in Caracas, Venezuela, where U.S. forces captured Maduro and Flores.
- Saturday evening, Maduro and Flores landed in New York and were taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center.
- Monday, at 12 p.m. ET (5 p.m. GMT), Maduro and Flores will appear before a judge and enter a not guilty or guilty plea.
Trump has insisted the operation is part of an effort to combat drug trafficking in the U.S. and not an effort to force regime change in Venezuela.
Oil company shares rise after US actions in Venezuela
Monday 5 January 2026 15:50 , Ariana BaioShares of major U.S. oil companies rose Monday morning after the U.S. captured the deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolàs Maduro and Trump announced he would take control of Venezuela’s oil industry
Just an hour after the U.S. stock market opened, Exxon Mobil Corp shares were up by .35 percent, Chevron Corp was up 3.65 percent and ConocoPhillips shares rose by 1 percent.
But experts at GasBuddy do not expect the recent action in Venezuela to impact U.S. gas prices significantly.
“Even under the most optimistic outcomes, it could take years of positive developments for additional supply to meaningfully move the needle, and the impact on U.S. gasoline prices may ultimately be limited,” Patrick De Haan, the lead petroleum analyst at GasBuddy, said.
UN Security council holding emergency meeting on US actions in Venezuela
Monday 5 January 2026 15:30 , Ariana BaioThe United Nations Security Council is holding an emergency meeting this morning to discuss the U.S. actions around and in Venezuela after capturing the deposed leader, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife over the weekend.
Mexican president rejects US intervention in Venezuela and other countries
Monday 5 January 2026 15:20 , Ariana BaioMexican President Claudia Sheinbaum reiterated her opposition to the United States intervening in Venezuela’s “internal matters” during her daily press conference Monday.
"We categorically reject intervention in the internal matters of other countries," Sheinbaum began.
“The history of Latin America is clear and compelling. Intervention has never brought democracy,” she added.
Speaking directly about Mexico, Sheinbaum reminded people that her country is “a free and sovereign country” that is willing to cooperate but not subordinate to others.
Her comment was in reference to Trump’s prior accusations that Mexico has not done enough to combat drug trafficking. Trump has repeatedly offered to deploy U.S. military personnel to Mexico to assist in combating drug trafficking organizations but Sheinbaum has declined his offer.
New survey finds Americans are largely split on the US capturing Maduro
Monday 5 January 2026 15:00 , Ariana BaioIn a text message survey of 1,000 Americans, conducted by the Washington Post, approximately 40 percent said they approve of the U.S. capturing deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, while 42 percent said they disapprove.
Republican voters were much more likely to approve of the operation than Democrats or independent voters.
More than half of the survey respondents, 63 percent, said Trump should have sought congressional approval before conducting the military operation. Slightly less than half, 45 percent, said they oppose the U.S. taking over Venezuela and choosing a new leader.
The preliminary survey was conducted Saturday and Sunday, just hours after the military operation took place, meaning those surveyed may not have had a chance to digest the full scope of information before responding.
Switzerland freezes Maduro’s assets
Monday 5 January 2026 14:35 , Ariana BaioSwitzerland said Monday it would freeze Nicolás Maduro and his associates’ assets after the U.S. captured the deposed leader in a military operation.
The Swiss Federal Council said it would freeze Maduro’s assets under a Swiss law that allows the country to freeze, confiscate or restitute assets of a foreign politically exposed person that may have acquired their assets through corruption or other criminal means.
"The Federal Council wants to ensure that any illicitly acquired assets cannot be transferred out of Switzerland in the current situation,” the Swiss Federal Council said.
“... It has therefore decided, as a precautionary measure, to freeze any assets held in Switzerland by Mr Maduro and other persons associated with him.”
The asset freeze will not impact current members of the Venezuelan government.
Protesters calling for Maduro's release gather outside courthouse
Monday 5 January 2026 14:34 , Alex WoodwardA small group of protesters on the other side of the courthouse is waving Venezuelan flags and chanting, “U.S. out of everywhere.”
A few signs read “USA Hands off Venezuela” and “Free Pres. Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores now!”
A guy riding by on an electric bike shouted bac,k “USA, baby!”
Maduro gets court-appointed attorney
Monday 5 January 2026 14:20 , Ariana BaioDeposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro will have a court-appointed attorney represent him this morning for his first appearance and arraignment, according to CNN.
The attorney tapped is David Wikstrom, an experienced criminal defense lawyer, who has represented individuals and businesses in complex white-collar and non-white collar cases.
The scene outside the courthouse where Maduro is set to make first appearance
Monday 5 January 2026 14:05 , Alex WoodwardGood morning from outside the Daniel Patrick Moynihan courthouse in Manhattan, where ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores will make a first appearance after their capture by U.S. forces this weekend.
A mob of reporters and camera crews is staged outside the building, which is heavily fortified today with a bigger-than-usual police presence and barricades that have limited entry to only court staff and the press.
The presiding judge here in the Southern District of New York is Alvin Hellerstein, who has had the case against Maduro and top Venezuelan officials since 2020.
A recently unsealed grand jury indictment adds Flores as one of the defendants, who are accused of overseeing a vast cocaine trafficking conspiracy using gangs and cartels and the levers of power in Venezuela.
Judge Alvin Hellerstein will oversee Maduro’s court appearance
Monday 5 January 2026 13:50 , Ariana BaioDeposed Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, will appear before senior Judge Alvin Hellerstein in downtown Manhattan Monday afternoon for their first court appearance.
Hellerstein, 92, was initially appointed to serve in the Southern District of New York by former President Bill Clinton in 1992. He achieved senior status in 2011.
Hellerstein has presided over several high-profile cases, such as matters related to the September 11, 2001, attack. That includes cases about the CIA releasing secret documents about its use of enhanced interrogation tactics, 9/11 first responders' illness cases and wrongful death cases.
Recently, Hellerstein ruled that Trump’s use of the Alien and Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans was unconstitutional.
Where is Venezuela’s opposition leader Maria Corina Machado? The Nobel peace laureate scorned by Trump
Monday 5 January 2026 13:30 , Maira ButtThe capture of Nicolas Maduro in an unprecedented US military operation has left a political vacuum in Venezuela and reignited hopes that opposition leader Maria Corina Machado could spearhead a democratic revival in the country.
Machado, 58, has been living in hiding due to security risks and threats to her life since the last disputed election in Venezuela.
Maduro arrives in Manhattan courthouse to face charges
Monday 5 January 2026 13:05 , Maira Butt
Former attorney general warns that Trump is danger to world peac
Monday 5 January 2026 12:49 , Alex CroftThe Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:
Former UK attorney general Dominic Grieve has warned Donald Trump has no legal basis for his intervention in Venezuela apart from his “fantasies” that America has a right to intervene wherever it wants to.
Grieve told The Independent that the Trump’s actions are “terrifying” and the US president’s demands to take control of Greenland show a U.S. President “who is becoming increasingly odd”.
He went on: “We're living with a completely maverick and amoral U.S. President who is a serious and significant danger to world peace.”
He pointed out that the only legal justification Trump could have used to capture Venezuela's president Nicolas Maduro was undermined when he recognised the legitimacy of Maduro’s vice president Delcy Rodriguez.
“If the election was illegal and Maduro illegally took power, then the vice president illegally got power as well.”
Grieve said: “I don't think there is a legal basis for what Trump has done in Venezuela, apart from his own Monroe Doctrine fantasies about the United States right to intervene anywhere within the western hemisphere.
“Even the arguments on criminal conduct are counter arguments. Firstly, Maduro was president and therefore had sovereign state immunity. The whole thing is, it's very difficult to square.”
Starmer stands by Denmark after Trump's threat over Greenland
Monday 5 January 2026 12:38 , Alex CroftMaduro steps into helicopter
Monday 5 January 2026 12:31 , Alex CroftNicolas Maduro has now stepped into a helicopter as he is transferred to a New York court in a heavily armed police operation.
Exactly where the helicopter is currently headed is unclear, but he is due to face Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein later today.
Maduro transported through New York ahead of court appearance at 12pm ET (5pm GMT)
Monday 5 January 2026 12:22 , Alex CroftA vehicle which is believed to be carrying deposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has been passing through the streets of New York City.
Live helicopter footage appears to have shown the Venezuelan President stepping out of the armoured car and into a smaller black one. The 63-year-old appeared to have a heavy limp as he walked between the cars.
He is due to face a New York court at 12pm E.T. (5pm GMT) where he will face charges of narco-terrorism, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. He faces decades to life in prison on each count if convicted.
We’ll bring you more as we get it.
Maduro transported to New York court
Monday 5 January 2026 12:19 , Alex CroftA vehicle which is believed to be carrying deposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has been passing through the streets of New York City.
Live helicopter footage appears to have shown the Venezuelan President stepping out of the armoured car and into a smaller black one. The 63-year-old appeared to have a heavy limp as he walked between the cars.
We’ll bring you more as we get it.
