Mon 05 January 2026:
Abducted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife will appear in a court in New York on drug-related charges, as President Donald Trump insists the US is in control of Venezuela.
Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez calls for a “balanced and respectful” relationship with Washington during power transition.
Trump has threatened further military action against Venezuela, as well as against Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro, who dismissed the threat as “illegitimate”. Trump also warned Mexico it must “get its act together”.
The UNSC is set to meet today to discuss the US action, which UN chief Antonio Guterres described as a dangerous precedent.
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Maduro to appear in court later today
Maduro is due to appear at Manhattan’s federal court on Monday after his abduction by US forces.
Trump administration officials have portrayed the seizure as a law enforcement action to hold Maduro accountable for criminal charges filed in 2020 that accuse him of narcoterrorism conspiracy.
But Trump himself has said other factors were at play, saying the raid was prompted in part by an influx of Venezuelan immigrants to the US and the country’s decision to nationalise US oil interests decades ago.
Maduro, 63, faces charges of providing support to major drug trafficking groups, such as the Sinaloa Cartel and the Tren de Aragua gang.
Prosecutors say he directed cocaine trafficking routes, used the military to protect shipments, sheltered violent trafficking groups and used presidential facilities to move drugs. The charges were updated on Saturday to include his wife, Cilia Flores, who is accused of ordering kidnappings and murders.
The deposed leader has denied any links to narcotrafficking. It could be several months before he stands trial.
Despite Trump speaking candidly with reporters on board Air Force One, on Sunday, there are still many questions that lack clarity.
For example, Trump repeated on Sunday evening, when asked about who is in control of Venezuela, that it is the US that is running the show in Venezuela.
This, despite the fact that Delcy Rodriguez, former vice president of Venezuela, was sworn in as the country’s interim leader.
However, Trump seemed confident on board Air Force One when he was speaking to reporters that Rodriguez would cooperate with the US in pursuit of its interests in Venezuela, whatever those interests may be.
In terms of objectives here, Trump said he wants to fix up the oil and later prepare the country for elections, even though he did not provide any more specifics.
Venezuela’s interim leader sends message to US
Delcy Rodriguez has posted a message on her Instagram page saying, “Venezuela reaffirms its commitment to peace and peaceful coexistence. Our country aspires to live without external threats, in an environment of respect and international cooperation. We believe that global peace is built by first guaranteeing peace within each nation.”
“We prioritise moving towards balanced and respectful international relations between the United States and Venezuela, and between Venezuela and other countries in the region, premised on sovereign equality and non-interference. These principles guide our diplomacy with the rest of the world.”
“We invite the US 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.”
Addressing Trump directly, she said people of Venezuela and the Latin American region “deserve peace and dialogue, not war”. “Venezuela has the right to peace, development, sovereignty and a future.”
Trump’s comments on Colombia, Cuba and Mexico raise ‘concerns’
The comments that Trump made regarding other Latin American countries have certainly raised a lot of concerns.
He referred to the Colombian President Gustavo Petro as a “sick man”. The response from the Colombian president has been strong. He has rejected the accusations by Trump over Colombia’s counter-narcotics efforts.
Trump has also said he would be looking into operations against cartels in Mexico.
He also said Cuba looks like it’s ready to fall, perhaps alluding to Cuba not being in need of US intervention.
But what we’re seeing here is a new question: Is this really about counter-narcotics? Or is this about the US president going after regional leaders who are not friendly enough to the US, perhaps not friendly enough to President Trump?
UNSC meeting later today to discuss legality of US action
The legality of the US abduction of Maduro will be under the spotlight at the United Nations Security Council meeting later today, but Washington is unlikely to face strong criticism from allies over its military operation.
Russia, China and other Venezuelan allies have accused the US of violating international law. However, allies – who oppose Maduro – have been less vocal about any concerns over the use of military force.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres views the operation as setting “a dangerous precedent”, his spokesperson said on Saturday. Many legal experts also say the US action was illegal, although Washington will be able to block any attempts by the UNSC to hold it accountable.
European states have largely called for international law to be respected without specifically calling out the US, though French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the US had violated “the principle of not resorting to force, that underpins international law”.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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