Nicolás Maduro and His Wife Just Entered Their Plea

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty on Monday morning in a Manhattan federal court.

This development comes after the Trump administration authorized a military operation that resulted in the extraction of Maduro and his wife after a series of airstrikes on Saturday morning. Prosecutors charged Maduro and his wife with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.

From Business Insider:

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan federal court Monday morning — their first public appearance since US forces captured them in a dramatic military raid on Caracas over the weekend.
"I am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent president of my country," Maduro said, speaking through an interpreter, when asked by the judge for his plea.
He was then interrupted by the judge, who interjected, "A not guilty plea will be entered on behalf of Mr. Maduro."
Asked for her plea, Flores said through an interpreter, "Not guilty. Completely innocent."
Maduro and his wife were arraigned on several federal charges. Maduro faces a narco-terrorism conspiracy count, and both face counts of cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
The 25-page indictment filed against Maduro, his wife, son, and three others alleges that for over 25 years, Venezuelan leaders "have abused their positions of public trust and corrupted once-legitimate institutions to import tons of cocaine into the United States."

BREAKING: Nicolás #Maduro just pleaded NOT GUILTY to narco-terrorism + weapons charges @ Manhattan federal court⚖️

From the Presidential Palace in Caracas to high-security federal dock in NYC, the most historic arraignment in decades is offclly underway#Venezuela #BreakingNews pic.twitter.com/JDJxDlQrBQ
— Marta Dhanis (@MartaDhanis) January 5, 2026

The indictment, which was made public on Saturday, says Maduro is "at the forefront of that corruption and has partnered with his co-conspirators to use his illegally obtained authority and the institutions he corroded to transport thousands of tons of cocaine to the United States."

Multiple videos show intense US airstrikes blasting Caracas; explosions lighting up the sky, civilian neighborhoods under fire, people fleeing in panic.

Maduro was abducted in a covert raid. This brutal invasion isn't about "democracy." It's a naked grab for Venezuela's massive… pic.twitter.com/AL7d6A8Gjw
— Sanataniwithsign (@HarshadKushwah) January 3, 2026

The raid, dubbed “Operation Absolute Resolve,” involved U.S. special forces and 150 aircraft. U.S. forces bombed Venezuela’s air defense systems while a Delta Force soldier broke through security doors. Maduro and his wife surrendered shortly after. There were no U.S. casualties. The military flew the couple to the U.S.S. Iwo Jima warship before transporting them to New York.

Before the raid, the Trump administration spent months applying pressure on Venezuela’s regime through a series of military and economic actions. The U.S. military began attacking small boats in the Caribbean back in September 2025. The airstrikes have killed at least 100 people since then. The White House claims the boats were suspected of transporting dangerous narcotics to the United States.

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