In a scene once thought impossible, deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro appeared in a Manhattan federal courtroom on Monday, January 5, 2026, to plead not guilty to a litany of narco-terrorism and weapons charges.1 The arraignment comes just 48 hours after a high-stakes U.S. military operation—codenamed Absolute Resolve—extracted Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from Caracas.2
Dressed in a tan prison jumpsuit with his feet shackled, Maduro spoke through an interpreter, telling U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, “I am innocent.3 I am a decent man,” before defiantly adding that he remains the “president of my country.”4
The Arrival: From Brooklyn to Broadway
The logistics of the morning reflected the unprecedented nature of the case. Maduro was transported from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn under a security blanket of armored vehicles and a helicopter escort to the Wall Street heliport.5
- Heavy Security: A wide perimeter was established around the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse, with NYPD snipers visible on rooftops and federal agents lining the corridors.6
- Protests and Celebrations: Outside, the streets were a cacophony of rival groups.7 Supporters of the U.S. raid waved Venezuelan flags in celebration, while a smaller contingent of protesters denounced the capture as a “kidnapping” and an act of “imperialism.”8
The Charges and Legal Strategy
A 25-page superseding indictment, unsealed following the capture, alleges that Maduro led the “Cartel of the Suns,” a criminal enterprise that partnered with terrorist organizations to flood the United States with cocaine.9
| Charge | Maximum Penalty |
| Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy | Life Imprisonment |
| Cocaine Importation Conspiracy | Life Imprisonment |
| Possession of Machine Guns & Destructive Devices | 30 Years to Life |
| Conspiracy to Possess Machine Guns | 20 Years |
The Defense: Maduro has retained Barry J. Pollack, the high-profile attorney known for negotiating Julian Assange’s release.10 Pollack signaled that the defense will likely contest the legality of the arrest, arguing that Maduro possesses sovereign immunity as a head of state—a defense famously used, and rejected, by Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega in 1990.11
Geopolitical Tension: “The Donroe Doctrine”
The court appearance occurred as President Trump reaffirmed his intention for the U.S. to “run the country” temporarily to ensure a safe transition.12 He characterized the intervention as an application of the “Monroe Doctrine” (styled as the “Donroe Doctrine”), asserting that American dominance in the hemisphere is no longer in question.13
While the U.S. recognizes an interim civilian council, the Maduro-loyalist Supreme Tribunal has ordered Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to assume the presidency.14 Rodríguez has called the capture an international crime but has also strike a conciliatory tone, inviting “respectful relations” with the Trump administration to stabilize the nation’s crumbling infrastructure.15
The Road Forward
Judge Hellerstein ordered Maduro and Flores to remain in federal custody without bail, citing them as extreme flight risks. This sets the stage for what legal experts predict will be the “trial of the century,” involving classified intelligence, testimony from former regime insiders, and a complex debate over the boundaries of international law and national sovereignty.
