Maduro makes second appearance at New York courthouse
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro made his second appearance in a New York court after his forcible seizure by US troops in a military raid in Caracas in early January.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro made his second appearance in a New York court after his forcible seizure by US troops in a military raid in Caracas in early January.
The arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces in the early hours of 3 January 2026 stands as one of the most dramatic and contentious episodes in recent international politics.
Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez pledged to realize the return of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were seized by the United States on January 3.
Trump said that while he is "very disappointed" with Putin, a Maduro-like capture of the Russian leader is "not necessary".
In a post on Truth Social, the US President said that the decision to call off further strikes comes as relations between Washington and Caracas enter a phase of cooperation, particularly on rebuilding and modernising Venezuela's oil and gas infrastructure, which Trump had previously stated following the first wave of attack on Saturday.
The United States on Saturday carried out a military operation in Venezuela, targeting a key army base and capturing President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, escalating the long-running Venezuela crisis to an unprecedented level.
The Russian Foreign Ministry urged the United States to release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, calling them the "legitimately elected leaders" and stressing that issues between the two countries should be resolved through dialogue.
Explaining the operation, President Trump said the Venezuelan leader, Maduro, was captured in the dead of the night and "all Venezuelan military capacities were rendered powerless".
In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump said Venezuela has been designated a "foreign terrorist organisation" and accused the Maduro government of using oil revenues to fund "drug terrorism, human trafficking, murder and kidnapping."
Days after reportedly speaking directly with Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, US President Donald Trump has ramped up his campaign against the country, declaring the airspace closed, signaling possible military action.
