Maduro Pleads Not Guilty After US Raid

Published: 06 January 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

In a dramatic courtroom appearance in Manhattan, deposed Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty, following his capture during a shock US raid. The focus keyword, Maduro, appeared immediately as he stood before Judge Alvin Hellerstein, insisting he remained Venezuela’s legitimate leader. The arraignment lasted barely 30 minutes, during which Maduro formally denied all charges of narcotrafficking, weapons possession, and narco-terrorism, asserting that his capture violated international law.

Maduro, 63, was shackled at the ankles and escorted by heavily armed US law enforcement into the courthouse. Beside him, his wife, Cilia Flores, also entered a not guilty plea, displaying bruises sustained during the pre-dawn raid in Caracas. The operation, which left at least 40 dead, was conducted under former President Donald Trump’s orders and immediately drew widespread condemnation.

The US indictment alleges that Maduro and co-conspirators conspired with violent drug traffickers and corrupt officials to distribute vast quantities of cocaine into the United States. Each federal count carries a potential life sentence. Legal experts have noted that the raid’s military nature raises questions about breaches of international law.

Outside the courthouse, rival groups of Maduro supporters and opponents clashed, illustrating deep divisions within Venezuela. The spectacle of Maduro wearing a blue shirt atop a neon orange prison scrub evoked historical comparisons to the trials of Manuel Noriega and Saddam Hussein. Flores, visibly injured, maintained her innocence, claiming the operation had been a “military abduction” executed without legal justification.

The capture of Maduro prompted an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, with Secretary-General António Guterres describing the raid as a serious violation of international norms. Numerous countries condemned the US operation as an act of aggression, with concerns about its implications for regional stability. Meanwhile, the US justified the incursion as part of efforts to halt narcotics trafficking and regain control of Venezuela’s vast oil resources.

Within Venezuela, Maduro’s deputy, Delcy Rodríguez, initially defiant, signaled willingness to cooperate with the US after threats from Trump. Opposition figures, including Nobel laureate María Corina Machado, praised the US action, framing it as a step toward freedom and accountability. Machado criticized Rodríguez for corruption and human rights abuses, suggesting that Venezuelans overwhelmingly reject Maduro’s loyalists.

The international reaction to the raid has been sharply divided. Latin American nations, notably Colombia and Cuba, expressed alarm at potential US military interventions, raising fears of escalating regional tensions. Colombia’s president, Gustavo Petro, warned that his country might respond militarily if threatened, illustrating the delicate balance of power in the region.

Despite global condemnation, Trump defended the operation, framing it as a necessary step to secure US interests and combat narcotics. Analysts, however, warned that the unilateral action could set a dangerous precedent, undermining international law and encouraging further extrajudicial interventions. Maduro’s trial, and the broader fallout from his capture, is likely to dominate global headlines for months, with consequences extending far beyond Venezuela’s borders.

Observers note that the raid’s unprecedented nature, combined with the visible injuries suffered by Flores, highlights the complex ethical and legal dilemmas surrounding the US operation. International legal scholars continue to debate whether the raid constitutes a violation of sovereignty, and whether Maduro should be treated as a prisoner of war or a criminal defendant under US law.

As proceedings continue in Manhattan, Maduro remains resolute, claiming that he represents Venezuela’s legitimate government and denouncing the US-led capture as illegal. The coming weeks are expected to reveal more about the fate of Maduro, Flores, and the geopolitical fallout of one of the most audacious operations in recent US foreign policy history.

The case underscores the fragile state of Latin American politics, the reach of US military power, and the ongoing struggle over control of natural resources and regional influence. International observers stress that Maduro’s plea is just the opening chapter in a legal and political saga likely to reshape Venezuelan governance and US-Latin American relations for years.

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