Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro declares ‘I’m harmless’ and ‘nonetheless president’ in Manhattan courtroom look, pleads not responsible
NEW YORK — Ousted Venezuelan chief Nicolas Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores, made their preliminary look in Manhattan federal courtroom on Monday following their seize by U.S. forces in a army operation within the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, with Maduro claiming, “I’m harmless.”
Maduro informed the courtroom he’s “nonetheless president of my nation” and his lawyer signaled they could attempt to assert Maduro is entitled to safety from prosecution as head of a sovereign state.
There are “points concerning the legality of his army abduction,” his lawyer Barry Pollack stated.
Maduro and Flores — who’re being held in federal custody at MDC-Brooklyn — appeared in entrance of Decide Alvin Hellerstein at midday.
N.J. Burkett experiences from exterior the courtroom in Decrease Manhattan.
When he entered the courtroom, Maduro greeted the spectators, saying, “Buenos dias.” Maduro was escorted into the courtroom in shackles and orange jail slippers and sat two seats away from his spouse.
The couple wore headphones to listen to the court-provided interpreter.
When Maduro took his seat subsequent to Pollack, he instantly started writing on a notepad. Flores sat subsequent to her lawyer, Mark Donnelly.
Maduro stood earlier than the decide.
“Are you, sir, Nicolas Maduro Moros?” Hellerstein requested.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, left, and his spouse, Cilia Flores, second from proper, seem in Manhattan federal courtroom, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in New York.
Elizabeth Williams by way of AP
Maduro declared, by means of an interpreter, “I’m the president of Venezuela.” He added, “I used to be captured at my residence in Caracas, Venezuela,” earlier than the decide interrupted and informed him there could be time later to problem his custody.
Maduro then affirmed he’s who the decide stated he’s.
Hellerstein learn Maduro the usual rights.
Maduro stated, by means of an interpreter, “I didn’t know of those rights. Your Honor is informing me of them now.”
“How do you plead to the indictment?” Hellerstein requested.
Maduro responded, “I’m harmless. I’m not responsible. I’m an honest man. I’m nonetheless president of my nation.”
Kemberly Richardson experiences from Decrease Manhattan.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated he believes Maduro shouldn’t be the reliable president of the nation. That was additionally the place of the Biden administration, which provided a $25 million reward for his arrest in January 2025.
“I’m harmless. I’m not responsible of something talked about right here,” Maduro responded, by means of an interpreter, when requested to repeat his plea to the fees.
Hellerstein then turned to Maduro’s spouse.
“I’m Cilia Flores,” she stated. “I’m first woman of the Republic of Venezuela.”
Hellerstein interjected, saying, “The aim as we speak is simply to ask you who you’re.” The decide then defined her rights to stay silent and to be represented by an lawyer.
“Sure I perceive and I’ve heard it,” Flores stated.
Ousted Venezuelan chief Nicolas Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores, made their preliminary look in Manhattan federal courtroom on Monday following their seize by U.S. forces in a army operation within the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, with Maduro claiming, “I’m harmless.”
Requested how she pleaded to the three counts of the indictment she faces. Flores responded, “Not responsible — utterly harmless.”
“As residents of the state of Venezuela, you’ve gotten the proper to seek the advice of with consular officers,” Hellerstein knowledgeable Maduro and Flores.
“We perceive it and we wish to have such consular visits,” Maduro stated.
Maduro took notes throughout the continuing and he requested the decide for permission to maintain them.
Maduro and Flores didn’t ask for bail. The decide stated he’s open to receiving a bail software sooner or later, however the couple will in any other case stay detained at MDC-Brooklyn.
Donnelly stated Flores was injured throughout the army operation and requested a medical briefing. A bruise was evident on Flores’ head.
“She sustained important accidents. There’s fear she could have a fracture or extreme bruising on her ribs,” Donnelly stated.
As Maduro was being led from the courtroom, somebody within the gallery stood and shouted in Spanish, partly, “You’ll pay within the identify of Venezuela.”
Maduro stopped and responded in Spanish, “I’m the elected president. I’m a prisoner of conflict. I shall be free.”
The following courtroom date is ready for March 17.
Earlier than Monday’s listening to, dueling teams of protesters gathered throughout the road from the courthouse. One group held indicators urging President Donald Trump to “Free President Maduro,” and the opposite supported of his seize.
Maduro and Flores are amongst six defendants named in a four-count superseding indictment that accused them of conspiring with violent, harmful drug traffickers for the final 25 years. Maduro has lengthy denied all of the allegations.
Maduro’s son, two high-ranking Venezuelan officers and an alleged chief of the Tren de Aragua felony gang are the opposite defendants.
Trump stated on Saturday that the U.S. “efficiently carried out a large-scale strike in opposition to Venezuela” through which Maduro and Flores had been “captured and flown out of the Nation.”
Trump stated the operation was carried out along with U.S. regulation enforcement. Members of Congress stated the army, which sources stated included the elite Delta Power, was in place to help that regulation enforcement operation.
In a transfer that alarmed some observers, Trump, who campaigned on “America First” and in opposition to international entanglements, stated throughout a press convention at Mar-a-Lago the U.S. would “run” Venezuela for an unspecified “time frame.”
He stated a crew comprised of a few of his Cupboard officers together with a neighborhood crew in Venezuela could be “working the nation” as a result of there may be “no one to take over.”
“We’ll run it correctly. We’ll run it professionally. We’ll have the best oil firms on the earth go in and make investments billions and billions of {dollars} and take out cash, use that cash in Venezuela, and the largest beneficiary are going to be the folks of Venezuela,” Trump stated.
On Monday evening in Washington, a labeled briefing was held from Trump administration officers to congressional leaders on what occurred in Caracas.
“Our understanding is that that is an operation that solely required discover to Congress and never prior authorization,” stated Home Speaker Mike Johnson.
Johnson says he was notified hours after the army operation started.
Home Minority chief Hakeem Jeffries insisted it did want congressional approval.
“Why are we participating in this type of aggressive army habits on behalf of oil firms that make billions of {dollars} of revenue every yr?” he stated.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has been sworn in as interim chief to guide the nation after what the Venezuelan Supreme Court docket described as Maduro’s “kidnapping.”
Trump signaled that he might transcend Venezuela, with 15,000 U.S. service members now within the area.
Rodriguez demanded Maduro’s return and vowed to defend Venezuela in opposition to American aggression.
Dan Krauth experiences on the interim president of Venezuela.
On Sunday, Rodriguez posted a press release to social media through which she appeared to melt her tone, inviting “the U.S. authorities to collaborate with us on an agenda of cooperation oriented in direction of shared growth throughout the framework of worldwide regulation to strengthen lasting group coexistence.”
Trump informed reporters on Sunday that the U.S. is “in cost” of Venezuela.
The president stated he had not but spoken to Rodriguez. Requested if he wished to, Trump stated, “On the proper time, I’ll.”
ABC Information’ Meghan Mistry and Hannah Demissie contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2026 ABC Information Web Ventures.
