Maduro arrives at U.S. courthouse to face drug trafficking charges

Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrived astatine a New York tribunal connected Monday (January 5, 2026), conscionable days aft being seized successful Caracas successful a shocking U.S. subject cognition that paved the way for Washington’s plans to power the oil-rich country.

Mr. Maduro, 63, faces narcotrafficking charges on with his wife, Cilia Flores, who was forcibly taken retired of Caracas successful the U.S. battle connected Saturday (January 3, 2026), successful which commandos swooped successful connected helicopters, backed by combatant jets and naval forces, to seizure the pair.

All eyes were connected Venezuela's effect to the swiftly moving events, and precocious connected Sunday (January 4), interim person Delcy Rodriguez, successful a imaginable triumph for Washington, stepped backmost from her archetypal defiance by offering to enactment with Mr. Trump.

"We widen an invitation to the U.S. authorities to enactment unneurotic connected an docket for cooperation," the erstwhile Vice President said.

Some 2,000 Maduro supporters, including rifle-wielding men connected motorcycles, rallied connected Sunday successful Caracas, with crowds shouting and waving yellow, bluish and reddish Venezuelan flags.

The Maduro loyal Venezuelan subject announced it recognized Rodriguez and urged calm.

No Venezuela decease toll has been announced, but Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said a "large part" of Maduro's information squad was killed "in acold blood," arsenic good arsenic subject unit and civilians.

Mr. Trump announced connected precocious Sunday (January 4) that the United States was "in charge" of the South American nation, portion U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that discussions of Venezuela holding elections pursuing Mr. Maduro's ouster were "premature."

Trump connected entree to oil

When asked what helium needs from interim person Ms. Rodriguez, Mr. Trump said: "We request full access. We request entree to the lipid and different things successful their state that let america to rebuild their country."

Venezuela has the world's largest proven lipid reserves, and much Venezuelan crude successful the marketplace could exacerbate oversupply concerns and adhd to caller unit connected prices.

But analysts accidental that alongside different large questions astir the South American country's future, substantially lifting its lipid accumulation volition not beryllium easy, speedy oregon cheap.

Oil dipped arsenic investors weighed the impact.

The Trump medication says it retains almighty economical leverage by blockading lipid tankers from Venezuela. Mr. Trump has besides threatened further subject attacks if needed.

While determination are nary known U.S. forces near wrong Venezuela, a immense naval presence, including an craft carrier, remains disconnected the coast.

Leading absorption fig Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia said that portion the U.S. involution was "important" without the merchandise of governmental prisoners and acknowledgement that helium won the 2024 election, it was simply "not enough."

Details of the U.S. cognition were inactive emerging, with Havana saying 32 Cubans were killed successful the onslaught and Mr. Trump adding that Cuba itself was acceptable to autumn aft Maduro's capture.

"I don't deliberation we request immoderate action. It looks similar it's going down," Mr. Trump said.

The UN Security Council volition clasp an exigency league connected Monday (January 6) astatine Venezuela's request. This volition supply a level for planetary interest implicit U.S. intentions successful the state of astir 30 cardinal people.

But what happens adjacent successful Venezuela, aft a combined 4th period of hard-left regularisation by Maduro and his precocious socialist predecessor Hugo Chavez, remains unclear.

Maduro allies stay

The White House indicated connected Sunday that it does not privation authorities change, lone Mr. Maduro's removal and a pliant caller authorities -- adjacent if it is filled with his erstwhile associates.

Anointed by his mentor Hugo Chavez earlier the latter's 2013 death, Mr. Maduro kept a choky grip connected powerfulness until his seizure by U.S. forces connected Saturday (January 3, 2026).

Mr. Maduro ruled alongside Flores and 3 different almighty figures: Ms. Rodriguez, present Venezuela's interim leader, her member Jorge, and their rival: hardline Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello.

"It's similar a nine of five," a diplomatic root successful Caracas told AFP nether the information of anonymity.

The U.S. presumption leaves the Venezuelan opposition, which the Trump medication says was robbed of triumph by Maduro, retired successful the cold.

Countries specified arsenic China, Russia and Iran, which person longstanding ties with Maduro's government, were speedy to condemn the operation. Some U.S. allies, including the EU, expressed alarm.

China called for Mr. Maduro to beryllium "immediately released" successful a condemnation of the U.S. operation, which its Foreign Ministry said was a "clear usurpation of planetary law."

Iran said connected Monday (January 5) that its relations with adjacent state Venezuela remained unchanged and called for Mr. Maduro's release.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro, whose state neighbors Venezuela, called the U.S. enactment an "assault connected the sovereignty" of Latin America, which would pb to a humanitarian crisis.

Petro rejected threats connected Sunday (January 4) of subject enactment successful Colombia made by Mr. Trump, who besides accused the South American person of cause trafficking