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Protests erupt worldwide against US operation in Venezuela
00:55 • Source: CNN
Protests erupt worldwide against US operation in Venezuela
00:55
• Maduro in court: A defiant Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores entered not guilty pleas in their first court appearance in New York after being captured in a US military operation. The ousted leader, who faces drugs and weapons charges, told the judge he’s “still the president of Venezuela.” The couple is not seeking bail for now. Sigue nuestra cobertura en español.
• Venezuela’s uncertain future: President Donald Trump said the US, which has not recognized Maduro as the country’s legitimate leader, is “in charge,” as acting president Delcy Rodríguez called for “cooperation” with the US. Trump previously said he’s counting on American companies to rebuild Venezuela’s battered oil industry. Meanwhile, Venezuelans are hunkering down amid apprehension of what may come next.
• Trump’s threats: Trump implied he could take military action in Colombia, told Mexico to get its “act together” on drugs, and said the US “needs Greenland.”
Nicolás Maduro Guerra, son of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, said Monday that his father was “kidnapped” by the United States and called for “international solidarity” with him so he can return to the South American country.
Maduro Guerra made these statements during the installation session of the National Assembly of Venezuela, held two days after Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured in a US military operation in Caracas. During his speech, Maduro Guerra said the operation violated Venezuela’s sovereignty and warned that it could happen in another country.
“People of the world, I say to you: international solidarity with Nicolás, with Cilia, with Venezuela, is not an optional political gesture, it is an ethical and legal duty. Silence in the face of these violations implicates those who remain silent and weakens the international system that everyone claims to defend,” he said.
Maduro Guerra also referred to being included in the latest US indictment against his father, Flores and others, who are accused of drug trafficking and weapons offenses. Maduro Guerra rejected the charges. “My family and I are being persecuted,” he said.
Cilia Flores sustained “significant injuries” this weekend when she was captured in Venezuela during a US military operation, her lawyer told the federal judge overseeing her criminal case.
Her attorney, Mark Donnelly, told senior US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein his client sustained “significant injuries during her abduction” this weekend and suggested she may have a fracture or severe bruising on her ribs and would need a physical evaluation.
The comments came just after Flores and her husband, the ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, pleaded not guilty to a series of federal charges at a New York courthouse Monday afternoon.
CNN reporters at the courthouse saw bandages on Flores’ head during the proceeding.
Before even getting to the evidence of the charges against Nicolás Maduro, his lawyers are likely to argue that he is not legally in custody in the first place, CNN’s chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst John Miller said.
The first thing Maduro’s legal team will do will be to “attack the arrest and the legitimacy of his custody,” Miller said. In court today, Maduro’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, told the judge that there are issues with the legalities of his client’s military abduction.
Maduro himself also said in court that he was captured at his home and insisted that he is the president of Venezuela — another point his legal team will likely argue early on in the process, Miller said.
Pollack told the judge that Maduro is the head of a sovereign state and is entitled to the privilege and immunity of that office. However, that is disputed, with the United States not recognizing Maduro or his regime as the legitimate government after several disputed elections.
Nicolás Maduro’s first court appearance in New York today has had a “show aspect” to it, CNN Senior Justice Correspondent Evan Perez said on air.
“They paraded him in front of cameras,” Perez said while outside the court on Monday. “This is very unusual in federal court here in the federal system.”
“Usually, you don’t have mugshots of people released because of the danger that (it) poses for their ability to present their defense, innocent until proven guilty,” he added.
Perez noted that as the president of another country, Maduro is used to calling the shots himself.
“He’s used to running things himself, he’s used to being able to issue orders and decide how things (are) going,” Perez said.
Within minutes of his first federal court appearance, Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro stood before a judge and said, “I was captured at my home in Caracas, Venezuela.”
The statement previews what is likely to be one of the main defenses: that his dead of night arrest in a foreign country by US law enforcement – a “military abduction,” in his attorney’s words – violated the law.
It’s not the first time that a defendant has made this argument. Over three decades ago, Panama’s Manuel Noriega accused the US of violating both international law and due process protections by invading Panama and arresting him abroad.
But that argument was unsuccessful, as the courts refused to consider the legality of the Panama invasion itself and only focused on the allegations in Noriega’s indictment. Whether courts will reconsider that precedent in Maduro’s case remains to be seen.
It is unusual to for a criminal defendant to say anything to a judge during an initial appearance, as defense attorneys typically warn their clients that anything they say could be used in their prosecution.
Judge Alvin Hellerstein made a similar warning to Maduro on Monday as the Venezuelan president spoke.
“There will be a time and a place to go into all of this,” the judge said.
Jorge Rodríguez, the brother of Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez, has been re-appointed President of the National Assembly.
Lawmakers reelected him to lead parliament on Monday with overwhelming support.
This puts the Rodriguez siblings in control of Venezuela’s executive and legislative branches.
Ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro is speaking using a translator during his first court appearance in New York today — something that could make it more difficult for the judge to limit the scope of Maduro’s answers.
CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig said the former Venezuelan leader “seems to be answering a little bit more than the judge is asking for.”
For example, when entering a plea, Maduro said, “I am innocent, I am not guilty.” He also added that he was “a decent man.” When he was asked by the judge to confirm his name, Maduro said he was the president of Venezuela and said he was captured at his home.
When answers and responses are going through a translator, “it’s harder for a judge to control the proceedings, because if someone’s speaking in English, the judge can just cut them off if he’s saying too much,” Honig said.
In this case, the judge has to wait for everything to be translated. “So we’ll see to what extent Maduro is disciplined and stays within the parameters of the court,” Honig added.
Crowds of people have been gathering near the New York courthouse where ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is currently appearing.
Two groups divided into opposite pens were on scene to demonstrate, some cheering on his capture and others protesting against it.
People waving Venezuelan flags were seen shouting chants including: “Who are we? Venezuela! What do we want? Libertad!”
One person was seen waving a large flagpole with a Venezuelan flag, as well as a flag that said “Trump for king.” Another person held a sign reading, “Free our political prisoners in Venezuela.”
Others were seen holding banners reading, “Free President Maduro.” They were also waving Venezuelan flags.
Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is making his first court appearance in New York after his capture following a US operation on Saturday. He is facing drug and weapons charges.
Here’s what we can expect from today’s hearing, according to CNN’s senior legal analyst Elie Honig.
- First, there will be an arraignment, where Maduro will be advised of the charges against him and given an opportunity to enter a plea.
- Next, the judge will ensure that Maduro has been appointed a defense counsel.
- Then, the judge will consider bail — though Maduro is unlikely to be granted it.
- Finally, the judge will likely lay out a schedule for the case. We may learn how quickly the case will move, how much time the parties will have to file motions, and possibly a trial date.
Energy and oil stocks jumped higher Monday as investors assessed the prospect of US companies gaining access to Venezuela’s oil reserves and the country’s drilling potential.
- Chevron (CVX) — the only US oil company still operating in Venezuela — rose 5.3%. Chevron shares led the Dow higher, which surged 725 points, or 1.5%, and hit an intraday record high.
- Oil-service companies Halliburton (HAL) and SLB (SLB) surged 9.1% and 9.6%, respectively.
- Oil refiners Valero Energy (VLO) and Phillips66 (PSX) jumped 7.8% and 6%, respectively.
- Exxon Mobil (XOM) gained 2.3% and ConocoPhillips (COP) rose 2.8%.
Oil stocks’ gains reflect expectations that US companies might benefit as President Donald Trump says the US will revamp Venezuela’s oil industry.
While oil stocks surged, oil prices rose by roughly 1.3%. Venezuela’s beleaguered oil infrastructure and the challenges associated with ramping up production make the recent developments less consequential for global oil markets.
“Venezuela’s global economic importance has diminished significantly over the past 50 years,” Neil Shearing, group chief economist at Capital Economics, said in a note.
“In theory, Venezuela could again become a major producer,” Shearing said. “But theory and reality diverge sharply … Venezuela’s oil infrastructure has also been heavily degraded by decades of underinvestment and much of Venezuela’s oil is extremely heavy, making it relatively costly to extract and process.”
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US envoy says Maduro’s capture was “law enforcement operation,” US “not occupying” Venezuela
00:15 • Source: CNN
US envoy says Maduro’s capture was “law enforcement operation,” US “not occupying” Venezuela
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The capture of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro was a “law enforcement operation,” the United States envoy to the United Nations said Monday, stressing that the US is “not occupying a country.”
Mike Waltz described US military action in Venezuela on Saturday as a “surgical law enforcement operation facilitated by the US military against two indicted fugitives of American justice: narco-terrorist Nicolas Maduro and (his wife) Cilia Flores.”
He told a UN Security Council meeting that Maduro is “responsible for attacks on the people of the United States, for destabilizing the western hemisphere and illegitimately repressing the people of Venezuela.”
The envoy said that US President Donald Trump – who said Saturday that the US will “run” Venezuela until a “safe, proper and judicious transition” can be ensured – had “(given) diplomacy a chance,” which he claimed Maduro failed to take.
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Russia calls for Maduro’s release at UN Security Council meeting on Venezuela
00:55 • Source: CNN
Russia calls for Maduro’s release at UN Security Council meeting on Venezuela
00:55
Russia’s envoy to the United Nations on Monday called for the United States to release Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, and warned that Washington’s actions could usher in a new era of colonialism and imperialism.
Russia condemned the “US act of armed aggression against Venezuela” and called for Washington “to immediately release the legitimately elected president of an independent state and his spouse,” Cilia Flores.
Given the US actions, the envoy said “those who, in other circumstances, froth at the mouth and demand that others respect the UN Charter, today seem particularly hypocritical and unseemly,” in apparent reference to Western criticism of Russia for its all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The National Assembly of Venezuela began a new legislative term on Monday, in which lawmakers reiterated that Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez had assumed the role of acting president.
They also demanded the release of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were captured on Saturday in a US military operation in Caracas. Rodríguez became acting president on Sunday following an order from the Supreme Court.
“The president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro Moros, has been kidnapped by the government of the United States, in a barbaric, treacherous, and cowardly attack,” said pro-government deputy Fernando Soto Rojas, debate director for the parliamentary session.
The session is held days after Maduro’s capture, which has been condemned by the government of Venezuela and some other Latin American countries, including Cuba, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay.
Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro will be represented Monday by Barry Pollack, a deeply experienced US trial attorney who represented Julian Assange and brokered the deal for his plea deal and release last summer.
Mark Donnelly, a white collar lawyer from Houston and a former Justice Department prosecutor, notified the court he will represent Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores. Donnelly’s firm biography says he speaks Spanish.
Pollack doesn’t come from the typical world of lawyers who represent defendants in drug trafficking cases. Instead, he specializes in more unusual white collar and national security matters, especially ones with an intense political cross-section.
He briefly represented Pras Michel, the former Fugees star convicted in a sprawling campaign finance case.
This post has been corrected to reflect that Pollack represented Assange in the past.
Abandoning the United Nations (UN) Charter and its prohibition of the kind of action undertaken by US President Donald Trump against Venezuela “would carry consequences of the gravest kind,” according to economist Jeffrey Sachs.
Speaking at a meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday, Sachs called on member states to consider the wider implications of their reaction to Washington’s decision to carry out military strikes on Venezuela and detain deposed leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.
“The issue before the council today is not the character of the government of Venezuela,” Sachs said.
“The issue is whether any member state, by force, coercion or economic strangulation, has the right to determine Venezuela’s political future or to exercise control over its affairs,” he said, adding that such actions contravene the UN charter.
“The council must decide whether that prohibition is to be upheld or abandoned,” Sachs said. “Abandoning it would carry consequences of the gravest kind.”
“Peace and the survival of humanity depend on whether the United Nations Charter remains a living instrument of international law or is allowed to wither into irrelevance,” he said.
“That is the choice before this Council today.”
The Justice Department unsealed a superseding indictment on Saturday against ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, along with his wife Cilia Flores, his son Nicolás Maduro Guerra and other Venezuelan officials.
Maduro was “at the forefront of that corruption,” the indictment says, and used “his illegally obtained authority and the institutions he corroded to transport thousands of tons of cocaine to the United States.”
According to the indictment, Maduro, in various government roles, provided Venezuelan diplomatic passports to drug traffickers, gave diplomatic cover to planes used to launder drug money from Mexico to Venezuela, and his co-conspirators, “partnered with some of the most violent and prolific drug traffickers and narco-terrorists in the world” for their own profit.
Flores is accused, among other things, of accepting “hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to broker a meeting between a large-scale drug trafficker and the director of Venezuela’s National Anti-Drug Office” in 2007.
Maduro is indicted on four counts: narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
Flores is facing counts of cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that he is “deeply concerned that rules of international law have not been respected” during US military action in Venezuela.
In a statement read out at a meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday, Guterres stressed that international law “provides the foundation for the maintenance of international peace and security.”
He also highlighted concerns around the knock-on effects of the detainment of deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.
“I am deeply concerned about the possible intensification of instability in the country, the potential impact on the region and the precedent it may set for how relations between and among states are conducted,” Guterres said.
“Venezuela has experienced decades of internal instability and social and economic turmoil,” he said.
“Democracy has been undermined. Millions of its people have fled the country. The situation is critical, but it is still possible to prevent a wider and more destructive conflagration,” Guterres added.
“In situations as confused, as complex, as the one we now face, it is important to stick to principles,” he said.
“International law contains tools to address issues such as illicit traffic in narcotics, disputes about resources and human rights concerns,” added Guterres.
“This is the route we need to take.”
In the early hours of Saturday morning, US President Donald Trump announced that Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores had been “captured and flown out of the country.”
Here’s what we know about what’s happened to him since then:
- Maduro and Cilia Flores were dragged from their bedroom during the middle of the night, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The US operation was carried out as they were sleeping, the sources said.
- Several hours later, Trump published a photograph of Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima warship wearing a gray Nike sweatsuit and clutching a water bottle. He was also wearing a black eye mask and headphones.
- After this, Maduro and Flores were taken to the US military base in Guantanamo Bay, two sources familiar with the plans told CNN. There, they were transferred to a plane.
- Maduro was next seen deboarding a plane at Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York, where he was escorted by more than a dozen federal agents wearing black, according to footage from CNN affiliate WCBS.
- He was then transported to Manhattan by helicopter, and onwards to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. He is now being held there.
- Shortly after this, the White House’s official rapid response account posted video of what appeared to be Maduro participating in a perp walk. In the video, Maduro is wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and trousers, wishing those in the room a “good night” and a “Happy New Year” in English.
CNN’s Simone Pathe, Kevin Liptak, Kit Maher, Emma Tucker, Bonney Kapp, Omar Jimenez and Alejandra Jaramillo contributed to this reporting.
The morning after US forces bombed Caracas, dragged President Nicolás Maduro out of bed, carted him over the Caribbean and installed him in a Brooklyn jail, many Venezuelans hurried to the grocery store.
“Why did I have to go out?” said Judith Ledezma. “I have a pet that needs exercise and I was really stressed out staying indoors.”
Her orange dog sat beside her on a park bench in Caracas, along with numerous shopping bags. Ledezma, who lives near one of the airbases hit by US airstrikes, told CNN the noise from the attack woke her up.
“I thought it was an earthquake,” Ledezma said. “I got scared and came running out with my daughter and the dog.”
The government in Caracas wants Venezuelans out and about, though the streets are quiet, apart from a few militia members mustering with their motorcycles. Defense Minister Vladímir Padrino Lopez told people Sunday to “resume their economic activities, work, and all other types of activities, including educational activities, in the coming days.”
Olga Jimenez told CNN she finally left her house on Sunday after staying in all of Saturday. Maduro or no Maduro, Jimenez said, she doesn’t expect much to change in Venezuela – except maybe the lines at the shops. Maria Azocar, meanwhile, told CNN that “having lived through so much, nothing really worries me anymore.”
Read more about what Venezuelans are saying in Caracas. And follow our live coverage in Spanish of the situation in the country here.
Delcy Rodríguez, who was Venezuela’s vice president under Nicolás Maduro, has now become the country’s acting president.
Rodríguez – who was also minister for both finance and oil – stepped into the role on Saturday afternoon after an order from Venezuela’s Supreme Court.
The 56-year-old is from Caracas and studied law at the Central University of Venezuela. She has spent more than two decades as one of the leading figures of Chavismo, the political movement founded by the Venezuela’s late President Hugo Chávez and led by Maduro since Chávez’s death in 2013.
After the capture of Maduro and Flores, Rodríguez accused the US of “kidnapping” her country’s leader and said that violations of international law were committed, accusing US forces of having “savagely attacked” Venezuela’s territorial integrity.
Following remarks from US President Donald Trump that Rodriguez would face a worse fate than Maduro if she doesn’t “do the right thing,” the acting Venezuelan leader softened her reaction, extending an invitation to the United States government to collaborate on an “agenda of cooperation.”
“Venezuela has the right to peace, to development, to sovereignty and to a future,” she added.
Read more about Delcy Rodríguez and her role in the Venezuelan government.
CNN’s Helen Regan contributed to this reporting.
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