maduro court: Nicolas Maduro pleads not guilty in New York court after US capture; Venezuelans react
“Seeing Maduro in a US court fills me with great satisfaction because this is a dream that Venezuelans have had for a long time. I was really surprised that he did not plead guilty. However, this was to be expected and I feel very happy because this is another step towards the freedom of Venezuela,” said Gustavo Páez of Riverside, California.
“Seeing Nicolas Maduro brought to justice undoubtedly gives hope to Venezuelans, but this is only the beginning. There is still a regime in Venezuela… political prisoners remain. This is a big step. What is happening is important, but we still have days ahead that we must watch carefully and cautiously,” Susana Pérez of Jacksonville, Florida, said in the CNN report.
Venezuelans reacted to the court
“I have very mixed emotions today. Seeing Maduro in New York was something we never thought would happen. There is anger, there is pain, but there is also endless joy because we never lost faith,” Naybert Milano, also from Jacksonville, said, as quoted by CNN. Norbelys Aponte from Miami added: “For us, this means justice has come… No matter how powerful someone is, if they don’t do things right, justice will always prevail. Justice may be slow, but it will come.”
Senior White House aide Stephen Miller said Cuban guards suffered “many casualties” during the US operation to capture Maduro in Caracas and described it as a “violent armed conflict”. Miller added: “The majority of the casualties and deaths that occurred were against the Cuban guards who had control over the Venezuelan people.” According to the Cuban government, 32 of its citizens died in the U.S. operation, but Miller said the publicly reported number is likely lower than the actual number.
US soldiers and Maduro allegations
Miller confirmed that the injured US soldiers were in stable condition and that all injuries were minor. The raid in Caracas was carried out by the US Delta Force with the assistance of the FBI unit. Nicolas Maduro claimed in court that he was kidnapped in Caracas during the US operation. Venezuelan acting president Delcy Rodríguez has called for “cooperation” with the United States, but many Venezuelans remain uncertain about the future.
President Donald Trump said the United States was “responsible” for Venezuela and warned of possible military action in Colombia and concerns about Mexico and Greenland. US administration officials held a secret briefing for elected lawmakers on Maduro’s capture. Senate Judiciary Committee leaders Chuck Grassley and Dick Durbin criticized the White House for excluding their committee from the briefing, calling it unacceptable. Grassley and Durbin emphasized that the Justice Department, FBI and DEA involved in the operation are under the committee’s oversight. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Maduro’s capture was an “appropriate action” and did not require prior congressional approval, only notification. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized the Trump administration, saying, “This was not a law enforcement action. They are lying to the American people…it was an unprecedented military action,” as noted by NBC News.
Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez emphasized that Colombia paid a high price in the fight against drug trafficking with the deaths of hundreds of soldiers and police. Sanchez said Colombia is the United States’ most reliable ally in the fight against illegal drugs, preventing billions of doses of cocaine from reaching the global market. Sánchez also responded to Trump’s public fight with Colombian President Gustavo Petro, emphasizing that Colombia wants world leaders to know the truth and avoid misinformation.
FAQ
Q1. What happened to Nicolas Maduro in the New York court?
Nicolas Maduro appeared in court for the first time in New York and denied all charges.
Q2. How did Venezuelans react to Maduro’s court appearance?
Venezuelans in the United States had mixed feelings; While some thought justice had been served, others said the fight for freedom was not over.
