NEW YORK — Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, to all U.S. charges during his first court appearance in New York.
“I am innocent, I am not guilty,” Maduro told the court. He added he was “kidnapped” at his home in Caracas and remains the president of Venezuela, according to media inside the courtroom.
Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, said she is completely innocent of the charges brought against her by the U.S.
The next hearing is scheduled for March 17.
Protest
Protesters gathered outside the court to shout slogans and hold banners reading “Free Maduro,” “No War on Venezuela” and “USA hands off Venezuela.”
“The charges are completely outrageous,” Sydney Loving, a protester, told Xinhua. “We’re against any intervention like that on a sovereign nation.”
“To kidnap a president of another country is absolutely crossing red line. It definitely violates international law,” she said.
U.S. military forces carried out attacks and bombings in Caracas and other parts of Venezuela early Saturday. They took Maduro and his wife by force before placing them in custody in New York.
The U.S. attacks shocked the international community and triggered a steady stream of condemnation and serious concerns worldwide.
People took to the streets Saturday across more than 100 U.S. cities, including Washington, Boston, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago and Miami. They protested the military operation on the oil-rich South American nation and demanded the U.S. Government free Maduro. / XINHUA