First modification: 01/05/2026 - 13:52 Last modification: 01/06/2026 - 21:46

The deposed president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty to charges imposed by a federal court in New York for alleged drug trafficking and arms trafficking. At the same time, the United Nations Security Council meets to debate Washington's attack on Caracas and the capture of the president. On the other hand, in Caracas, the National Assembly meets to inaugurate the legislature and confirm Delcy Rodríguez as the new president in charge of the Caribbean nation.

The essentials:

Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores appeared in front of the federal court in New York and pleaded not guilty to the charges against them for drug trafficking and arms trafficking.

The hearings will resume on March 17.

Several countries on the United Nations Security Council condemn the US assault on Caracas and the capture of Nicolás Maduro, although Washington defends itself by ensuring that "it is not at war with Venezuela."

National Assembly of Venezuela meets to inaugurate the 2026-2031 legislature and to confirm the appointment of Delcy Rodríguez as acting president.

US President Donald Trump claimed on Sunday night that Washington is now “in command” in Venezuela following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by US special forces.

Colombian Foreign Ministry presents a protest note to the United States

Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio confirmed that she will hold a meeting with the United States Chargé d'Affaires in Colombia, John McNamara, to present a verbal note of protest against what President Donald Trump said.

At a press conference, he rejected the US president's accusation that Petro was linked to drug trafficking. The chancellor mentioned that the qualifiers against Petro are an offensive against the entire country.

Furthermore, he considers that he crossed the line by suggesting possible military action in Colombia, similar to that in Venezuela.

The number of detained journalists rises to 14, some in forced disappearance

The National Union of Press Workers updated the number of journalists detained in Venezuela, ensuring that 14 have already suffered this fate.

The SNTP specifies that 11 of those detained are representatives of news agencies and other international media, and that only four of the 14 have been released. Of the 10 that are still supposedly in the power of state security forces, some are "in a situation of forced disappearance."

The union entity adds that officials from the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM) arrested three of the press workers during their coverage of the installation of the National Assembly.

They denounce the arrest of seven journalists in Caracas

The National Union of Press Workers of Venezuela published a message in X in which it denounced the arrest of seven journalists who were trying to cover the installation of the new National Assembly.

According to the entity, three of those reporters have already been released.

In total, 23 journalists and press workers are currently imprisoned in Venezuela, most detained in the context of post-election repression, although some of them were imprisoned before July 28, 2024.

Delcy Rodríguez sworn in as acting president

Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was officially sworn in as interim president of Venezuela following the capture of Nicolás Maduro by the United States.

The official ceremony took place within the framework of the installation of the new National Assembly, elected on May 25 and with a pro-government majority, and was led by his brother Jorge Rodríguez, in his capacity as re-elected president of Parliament.

"I come with pain for the suffering that has been caused to the Venezuelan people, after an illegitimate military aggression against our homeland, I come with pain for the kidnapping of two heroes that we hold hostage in the United States," Rodríguez said at the time of taking the oath, alluding to Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.

The Supreme Court of Justice determined that there is no absolute absence of Maduro, so Rodríguez is not obliged to call elections in 30 days, as stipulated by the Venezuelan Constitution when the absence occurs during the first four years of the period.

With Maduro detained, the National Assembly of Venezuela begins a new five-year period

This Monday, the unicameral Assembly of Venezuela begins the new legislative five-year period amid growing tensions with the United States and without Nicolás Maduro as its president, because he is detained in the United States.

The chamber re-elected Jorge Rodríguez, Delcy's brother, as president, who was installed as the new head of state due to Maduro's absence.

The new period brings with it the return of a group of opponents led by the two-time presidential candidate Henrique Capriles, while Chavismo maintains the majority for the second consecutive period after elections in which the majority opposition led by María Corina Machado did not run.

Of the 285 seats in the unicameral Parliament, only 29 will be occupied by opponents.

Among those who repeat in the Legislative are Bernabé Gutiérrez, Timoteo Zambrano, Luis Parra, José Brito and José Gregorio Correa, all considered by the majority opposition as collaborators with the Government and colloquially called 'scorpions'.

Already in the session there were expressions from opposition legislators for the release of political prisoners. While the ruling party expressed its solidarity with its leader.

Maduro's next hearing will be on March 17

The federal judge set the next court hearing for March 17.

Prosecutors say Maduro has been involved in drug trafficking since he began serving in Venezuela's National Assembly in 2000 until his tenure as foreign minister and his subsequent election in 2013 as successor to the late President Hugo Chávez.

Maduro has rejected all accusations. For his defense, Maduro chose Barry Joel Pollack (Julián Assange's lawyer). While Mark E. Donnelly will be the legal representative of Cilia Flores.

Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores plead not guilty to all charges before the New York court

In Lower Manhattan federal court, Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty to four criminal charges including narcoterrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices.

"I am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man. I am still president of my country," Maduro said through an interpreter, before being interrupted by U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein.

They wore short-sleeved navy blue shirts over orange prison uniforms.

Venezuela: "If these facts are tolerated, the message is: law is optional and force is the true arbiter in relations between countries"

Moncada said that accepting the logic of neocolonialism "implies opening the door to a deeply unstable world where countries with greater military capabilities can decide the political and economic destiny of other States. This scenario not only threatens Venezuela, but the world."

"If the kidnapping of a president, the bombing of a sovereign country and the open threat of further armed action are tolerated, the message to the world is devastating: law is optional and force is the true arbiter of international relations," he added.

He said that Venezuela believes in dialogue and diplomacy, even now in this situation. Therefore, they asked the Council to urge the United States to respect the immunities of Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores, his wife, as well as their release and safe return to Venezuela.

Furthermore, the use of force against Venezuela be clearly and unequivocally condemned. Third, that the principle of non-acquisition of territory or resources by force be reaffirmed.

Fourth, that measures be adopted to de-escalate tensions and civil protection.

The drug trafficking hearing against Nicolás Maduro begins in a New York court

Venezuela: "Not only is the sovereignty of Venezuela at stake, the credibility of international law is at stake"

"Venezuela was the target of an illegitimate armed attack." This is how the representative of Venezuela before the UN Security Council, Samuel Moncada, began his speech.

He stressed that the United States violated the UN Charter regarding sovereignty, the human rights of civilians due to the bombings and also the personal immunity of heads of state.

He mentioned that this fact "opens a dangerous precedent for all States sitting in this room."

Allowing such acts to remain without an effective response, he said, is tantamount to normalizing the substitution of law for force and eroding the very foundations of the security system.

He said that not only the sovereignty of Venezuela is at stake, "at stake is the credibility of international law, the authority of this organization and the validity of the principle that no state can be judge, party and executor of the world order."

He clarified that Venezuela's energy resources have historically been subject to external pressure and that today that is the reason for the attack.

Russia: "Washington gives new impetus to neocolonialism and imperialism"

Russia's turn came in the Security Council, where its representative mentioned that "it is hypocritical" that those who previously demanded compliance with the UN Charter now try not to do so.

"We hope that they recognize this, that they leave behind their double standards and that they do not try to justify such a flagrant act of aggression for fear of angering the United States," he added.

He says that it is surprising that Washington does not try to hide "its true interests: establishing unlimited control over its natural resources and the affirmation of its hegemonic ambitions in Latin America. Thus, Washington gives a new impetus to neocolonialism and imperialism."

China, for its part, urged the United States to comply with international law. "To stop interfering in the sovereignty and security of other States," he said.

In addition, he asked that the safety of Maduro and his wife be guaranteed and that they be released.

Petro threatens to take up arms again to defend sovereignty from Trump's threats

The Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, threatened this Monday to take up arms again if necessary, as in his years as a guerrilla, to defend the sovereignty of his country from the "illegitimate threat" of the US president, Donald Trump.

"Although I have not been a soldier, I know about war and clandestinity. I swore not to touch another weapon since the peace pact of 1989 (sic), but for the country I will take again the weapons I do not want," Petro said in a long writing on his X account.

In his youth, Petro was part of the M-19 guerrilla that demobilized in 1990 after signing a peace agreement with the then Colombian president Virgilio Barco (1986-1990).

On Sunday, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that, like Venezuela, "Colombia is also very sick," and in reference to Petro, he said the country is "governed by a sick man who likes to make cocaine and sell it to the United States and that's something he's not going to be doing for a long time."

“Our president has been kidnapped”: the inaugural session of the Venezuelan National Assembly begins

The Parliament of Venezuela installed this Monday the 2026-2031 legislature, controlled again by Chavismo and with the return of some opposition faces who distanced themselves from the largest opposition coalition in the country, in a session marked by uncertainty after the capture of President Nicolás Maduro during the military attack launched by the United States on several points of Venezuelan territory, including Caracas.

Around noon this Monday, the National Assembly (AN, Parliament) began its inaugural session with the presence of strong figures of Chavismo such as Jorge Rodríguez, president of the Chamber during the previous period and Maduro's son, Nicolás Maduro Guerra.

The debate director, Fernando Soto Rojas, mentioned during his speech the absence of Maduro's wife, Cilia Flores, whose bench remained empty. Also present are the newly elected deputies, the opponents Henrique Capriles and Stalin González.

United States: "We are not occupying Venezuela"

The United States representative to the Security Council, Michael Waltz, said that Maduro "is responsible for carrying out attacks against the United States, destabilizing the Western Hemisphere and having repressed the people of Venezuela."

He clarified that, for them, it is not a war against Venezuela and said that they are not occupying the country, but rather that "it is a special operation for law enforcement" due to the charges against them, including drug trafficking.

He said "overwhelming evidence" of his crimes will be presented to the Court.

He also questioned Maduro's legitimacy in power. "For years, Maduro and his henchmen have manipulated Venezuela's electoral system to stay in power," added the US diplomat.

María Corina Machado: "Venezuelans thank Donald Trump"

The leader of the Venezuelan opposition, María Corina Machado, mentioned that thousands of people have held demonstrations around the world celebrating the arrest of Nicolás Maduro.

"Venezuelans thank President Donald Trump and his administration for their firmness and determination in complying with the law," he said.

"Venezuela will be the main ally of the United States in terms of security, energy, democracy and human rights," said Machado.

Regarding her, Donald Trump considers that she does not have popular respect or support in Venezuela.

Colombia: "A worrying precedent for security beyond the region"

Leonor Zalabata Torres added that these actions by the United States "recall the worst moments of interference in Latin American and Caribbean politics and constitute a clear threat to the preservation of the region as a zone of peace."

Furthermore, he mentioned that it is important to dimension this situation in terms of world security. "Beyond the region, especially when a member of the Security Council makes the decision to use force and assume control unilaterally, it sets worrying precedents for the international order."

Venezuela orders police to find and detain anyone involved in supporting US attack decree

The state of emergency imposed by Venezuela's government since the U.S. attack that overthrew President Nicolás Maduro orders police to "immediately begin the national search and capture of all those involved in promoting or supporting the U.S. armed attack," according to a text of the decree published Monday.

The decree has been in force since Saturday, but was published in full on Monday.

Colombia: "There is no justification for the use of unilateral force"

The representative of Colombia before the UN Security Council, Leonor Zalabata Torres, said that they categorically condemn the events that occurred on January 3 in Venezuela.

"There is no justification. Under no circumstances for the unilateral use of force or for committing an act of aggression. Such actions constitute a serious violation of international law of the UN Charter," he added.

The UN calls for dialogue and respect for the Charter

The urgent meeting of the UN Security Council began with the intervention of the Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations for Political Affairs, Rosemary A. DiCarlo, speaking on behalf of the Secretary General, António Guterres.

In his speech he stressed that international law, in particular the United Nations Charter which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity of States, has not been respected.

DiCarlo recalled that the principle of sovereignty must be respected and recalled that "the maintenance of international peace and security depends on the continued commitment of all Member States to adhere to all the provisions of the Charter"

He called on those involved to initiate inclusive dialogues to “avoid a broader and more disastrous conflagration.”

Antonio Guterres expresses his concern "in the face of the precedent set by the US operation in Venezuela"

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