NEW YORK: Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and other charges during a defiant appearance in a Manhattan court on Monday, two days after he was captured in a US-led operation in Caracas.
“I’m innocent. I’m not guilty,” Maduro, 63, told a federal judge. Speaking through an interpreter, he added, “I am president of the Republic of Venezuela and I am here kidnapped since January 3, Saturday. I was captured at my home in Caracas, Venezuela.”
Maduro appeared in the courtroom smiling, wearing an orange shirt and beige trousers, but the judge quickly reminded him to stick to stating his name. His wife, Cilia Flores, also pleaded not guilty. Both were ordered to remain in custody, with a new hearing scheduled for March 17.
Meanwhile, thousands marched through Caracas in support of Maduro as his former deputy, Delcy Rodriguez, was sworn in as interim president. However, Maduro’s 12-year rule over the oil-rich country appears to be over.
The couple was captured in early morning airstrikes on Caracas by US commandos, backed by warplanes and naval forces. Over the weekend, former US President Donald Trump announced that the United States was “in charge” and intends to take control of Venezuela’s vast but deteriorated oil industry. Trump also dismissed the possibility of new elections in the near term, saying, “We have to fix the country first. There’s no way the people could even vote.”
Maduro became president in 2013 after the death of Hugo Chavez. The United States and the European Union have accused him of remaining in power through rigged elections and political repression, while overseeing rampant corruption. Venezuela, with roughly 30 million people, now faces heightened uncertainty.
Trump indicated he is willing to work with Rodriguez and Maduro’s former team if they comply with US demands on oil. Rodriguez later expressed willingness to cooperate. Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, but production is costly and infrastructure is weak after years of sanctions and mismanagement.
Markets reacted positively, with shares in US oil giants Chevron, ExxonMobil, and ConocoPhillips surging. The Dow Jones and London’s FTSE 100 closed at record highs.
Brian Naranjo, a former US diplomat in Venezuela, warned that the situation could deteriorate further. “There’s a very real possibility that things are going to get much, much worse in Venezuela before they get better,” he told AFP. Naranjo also highlighted potential power struggles within Venezuela, naming Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and Jorge Rodriguez, head of the legislature, as possible rivals to interim president Delcy Rodriguez.
Trump’s actions have raised concerns about international law. Experts also noted the potential targeting of Cuba and Greenland, reflecting an increasingly aggressive US foreign policy stance.
Reports on casualties from the US operation remain conflicting. Havana claimed 32 Cubans were killed, while US officials reported some injuries but no deaths. Nearly 200 personnel were reportedly involved in the surprise raid in Caracas.
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