Captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, appear with their attorneys Barry Pollack and Mark Donnelly at their arraignment in a federal court in New York City on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. (Jane Rosenberg)
Maduro, for his part, attempted to stand multiple times during the arraignment and interrupted U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein to argue his innocence. "I am a decent man," Maduro proclaimed. "I am innocent. I am still president of my country."
Hellerstein finally interjected, and told Maduro that a plea of "not guilty" would be entered on his behalf on all four charges. Flores also pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Though the arraignment was short, there was a notable contrast in the demeanor of Maduro and of Flores, who was more subdued.
Maduro, who was clad in tan pants, orange sneakers, and a black T-shirt, seemed incredulous and at times, angry. "I am a kidnapped president," he told a bystander in Spanish, his voice raised slightly, as he exited the courtroom.
"I am a prisoner of war."
INSIDE TRUMP’S FIRST-YEAR POWER PLAYS AND THE COURT FIGHTS TESTING THEM
People react to the news of the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, after U.S. military actions in Venezuela this morning, in Doral, Florida, near Miami, on Jan. 3, 2026. ( GIORGIO VIERA / AFP via Getty Images)
News of the ouster has dominated international headlines and sparked fresh fears about a newly emboldened President Donald Trump, who said this weekend that the U.S. would "run" the country, and has repeatedly claimed that the U.S. has "direct" control of Venezuela. "We're going to run it, fix it," Trump said Sunday.
He also declined to rule out the possibility of deploying U.S. troops directly to Venezuela for an on-the-ground presence if needed.
"We’re not afraid of boots on the ground," Trump told reporters at a press briefing in Florida shortly after Maduro's capture.
He also suggested they could order another wave of strikes if needed, saying Friday that the U.S. is "ready to stage a second and much larger attack if we need to do so."
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Trump also warned the country's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, that the Venezuelan government should cooperate with the U.S. Rodríguez, Venezuela's former vice president and a longtime Maduro ally, was slated to be formally sworn in on Monday as the interim president, though it was not immediately clear to what extent the new administration plans to work alongside the U.S.
Meanwhile, Trump officials stressed during a U.N. emergency meeting that the U.S. was not waging a "war" against Venezuela. The U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Mike Waltz, characterized the U.S. capture of Maduro on Monday as a law enforcement mission, rather than a military conflict, and reiterated that the U.S. and Venezuela are not at war.
"There is no war against Venezuela or its people," Waltz said. "We are not occupying a country. This was a law enforcement operation."
Breanne Deppisch is a national politics reporter for Fox News Digital covering the Trump administration, with a focus on the Justice Department, FBI and other national news. She previously covered national politics at the Washington Examiner and The Washington Post, with additional bylines in Politico Magazine, the Colorado Gazette and others. You can send tips to Breanne at Breanne.Deppisch@fox.com, or follow her on X at @breanne_dep.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/maduro-appears-us-court-arraignment-questions-swirl-over-venezuelas-fate