Maduro and wife to appear in Manhattan federal court on Monday


Ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are scheduled to make their initial appearances on Monday in a federal court in Manhattan following their capture by U.S. forces in a military operation in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas.

The couple is expected to appear in front of Judge Alvin Hellerstein at 12 p.m. ET. Both are currently being held in federal custody at MDC-Brooklyn.

Ousted President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela and his wife, Cilia Flores arrive at the Wall Street Heliport in New York City, January 5, 2026.

Kyle Mazza-CNP/Shutterstock

PHOTO: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrives at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, January 5, 2026.

Captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrives at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, as he heads towards the Daniel Patrick Manhattan United States Courthouse for an initial appearance to face U.S. federal charges including narco-terrorism, conspiracy, drug trafficking, money laundering and others in New York City, January 5, 2026.

Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

Maduro and Flores are among six defendants named in a four-count superseding indictment that accused them of conspiring with violent, dangerous drug traffickers for the last 25 years. Maduro has long denied all the allegations. 

Texas lawyer Mark Donnelly is representing Flores, according to a notice filed Monday with the court. Donnelly is admitted to practice in Texas but applied for pro hac vice admission to represent her in New York.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is escorted, as he heads to an initial court appearance to face U.S. federal charges including narco-terrorism, conspiracy, drug trafficking, money laundering and others in New York City, January 5, 2026.

Adam Gray/Reuters

Maduro has retained attorney Barry Pollack, according to a notice on the court docket posted Monday. Pollack previously represented Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

Neither defense attorney immediately responded to ABC News’ request for comment.

PHOTO: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrives at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, January 5, 2026.

Captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrives at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, as he heads towards the Daniel Patrick Manhattan United States Courthouse for an initial appearance to face U.S. federal charges including narco-terrorism, conspiracy, drug trafficking, money laundering and others in New York City, January 5, 2026.

Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

Dueling groups of protesters have gathered across the street from the courthouse; one is holding signs urging President Donald Trump to “Free President Maduro,” and the other is supportive of his capture.

More people protesting against what they call “illegal kidnapping” are expected to arrive shortly before the court appearance.

People protest against U.S. strikes against Venezuela and the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, outside the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in New York City, January 5, 2026.

Jeenah Moon/Reuters

People protest against U.S. strikes against Venezuela and the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, outside the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in New York City, January 5, 2026.

Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

Maduro’s son, two high-ranking Venezuelan officials and an alleged leader of the Tren de Aragua criminal gang are the other defendants.

Trump said on Saturday that the U.S. “successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela” in which Maduro and Flores were “captured and flown out of the Country.”

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro is escorted by U.S. Drug Enforcement Agents after arriving in New York City, January 3, 2026.

Obtained by ABC News

Trump said the operation was carried out in conjunction with U.S. law enforcement. Members of Congress said the military, which sources said included the elite Delta Force, was in place to support that law enforcement operation.

In a move that alarmed some observers, Trump, who campaigned on “America First” and against foreign entanglements, said during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago the U.S. would “run” Venezuela for an unspecified “period of time.”

He said a team comprised of some of his Cabinet officials along with a local team in Venezuela would be “running the country” because there is “nobody to take over.”

“We’ll run it properly. We’ll run it professionally. We’ll have the greatest oil companies in the world go in and invest billions and billions of dollars and take out money, use that money in Venezuela, and the biggest beneficiary are going to be the people of Venezuela,” Trump said.

PHOTO: Smoke billows over Caracas after a series of explosions part of a US military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

This grab taken on Jan. 3, 2026, from UGC footage released by Jose Abreu in his X account @Jabreu89, shows smoke billowing over Caracas after a series of explosions part of a US military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

@Jabreu89/X via AFP via Getty Images

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has been sworn in as interim leader to lead the country after what the Venezuelan Supreme Court described as Maduro’s “kidnapping.” 

Rodriguez demanded Maduro’s return and vowed to defend Venezuela against American aggression.

View of a damaged building in Catia La Mar, La Guaira State, Venezuela, January 4, 2026, a day after Venezuela’s leader Nicolas Maduro was captured in a US strike.

Federico Parra/AFP via Getty Images

On Sunday, Rodriguez posted a statement to social media in which she appeared to soften her tone, inviting “the U.S. government to collaborate with us on an agenda of cooperation oriented towards shared development within the framework of international law to strengthen lasting community coexistence.”

Trump told reporters on Sunday that the U.S. is “in charge” of Venezuela.

The president said he had not yet spoken to Rodriguez. Asked if he wanted to, Trump said, “At the right time, I will.”

ABC News’ Meghan Mistry and Hannah Demissie contributed to this report.



Source link

  • Related Posts

    Video Seaplane makes emergency landing on Phoenix road

    Seaplane makes emergency landing on Phoenix road CCTV video captured the moment a private seaplane made an emergency landing on a road in Phoenix, Arizona, avoiding cars and only hitting…

    U.S. military kills 2 men in another alleged drug boat strike in eastern Pacific

    The U.S. military said it killed two people in a strike on an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Monday, bringing the death toll to at least…

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    You Missed

    Husband of missing boater released without charges

    Husband of missing boater released without charges

    Mark Carney secures majority government in Canada after special election win | Canada

    Mark Carney secures majority government in Canada after special election win | Canada

    Proposed Quebec legislation targets custody rules…

    Former Cardinals head coach, Titans assistant McGinnis dies

    Former Cardinals head coach, Titans assistant McGinnis dies

    With elections near, Quebec premier-designate under tight deadline to revive CAQ – Montreal

    With elections near, Quebec premier-designate under tight deadline to revive CAQ – Montreal

    Video Seaplane makes emergency landing on Phoenix road

    Video Seaplane makes emergency landing on Phoenix road