Nicolas Maduro, the ousted leader of Venezuela, appeared in a New York court for the first time and pleaded not guilty to all charges against him. Venezuelans living in the U.S. shared mixed emotions about the court appearance. Some felt justice was being served, while others warned that the fight for freedom is far from over.
Gustavo Páez from Riverside, California, said, “Seeing Maduro in a US court fills me with great satisfaction because it’s a dream Venezuelans have had for a long time. I was truly surprised that he pleaded not guilty. Still, this was to be expected, and I feel very happy because it’s another step toward Venezuela’s freedom”, as reported by CNN.
Susana Pérez from Jacksonville, Florida, said, “Seeing Nicolas Maduro appear before justice gives Venezuelans hope, no doubt, but this is only the beginning. There is still a regime in Venezuela… political prisoners remain. It’s a big step. What has happened is important, but there are still days ahead that we must watch carefully and with caution”,CNN noted in the report.
Top White House aide Stephen Miller said Cuban guards suffered “massive numbers of casualties” during the U.S. operation to capture Maduro in Caracas, describing it as a “raging gunfire battle”. Miller added, “The overwhelming share of casualties and fatalities that were inflicted were against the Cuban guard that had exerted control over the people of Venezuela”.According to the Cuban government, 32 of its citizens died in the U.S. operation, but Miller said the number reported publicly is probably lower than the actual number.
President Donald Trump said the U.S. is “in charge” of Venezuela, and issued warnings about possible military actions in Colombia and concerns with Mexico and Greenland. U.S. administration officials held a classified briefing for select lawmakers about 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 Department of Justice, FBI, and DEA involved in the operation fall under the committee’s oversight. House Speaker Mike Johnson said capturing Maduro was “an appropriate action” and did not require prior congressional approval, only notification. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized the Trump administration, saying, “This wasn’t a law enforcement action. They are lying to the American people… it was an unprecedented military action” as stated by NBC News.
Colombia’s Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez highlighted that Colombia has paid a high price fighting drug trafficking, with hundreds of soldiers and police killed. Sanchez said Colombia is the most reliable U.S. ally in the fight against illegal drugs and has prevented billions of doses of cocaine from reaching the global market. Sánchez also responded to Trump’s public feud with Colombian President Gustavo Petro, emphasizing that Colombia wants world leaders to know the truth and avoid misinformation.
Nicolas Maduro appeared in court for the first time in New York and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Q2. How did Venezuelans react to Maduro’s court appearance?
Venezuelans in the U.S. had mixed feelings—some felt justice was served, while others said the fight for freedom is not over.
Gustavo Páez from Riverside, California, said, “Seeing Maduro in a US court fills me with great satisfaction because it’s a dream Venezuelans have had for a long time. I was truly surprised that he pleaded not guilty. Still, this was to be expected, and I feel very happy because it’s another step toward Venezuela’s freedom”, as reported by CNN.
Susana Pérez from Jacksonville, Florida, said, “Seeing Nicolas Maduro appear before justice gives Venezuelans hope, no doubt, but this is only the beginning. There is still a regime in Venezuela… political prisoners remain. It’s a big step. What has happened is important, but there are still days ahead that we must watch carefully and with caution”,CNN noted in the report.
Venezuelans react to court appearance
Naybert Milano, also from Jacksonville, said, “Today I have many mixed emotions. Seeing Maduro in New York is something we never thought would happen. There’s anger, there’s pain, but also infinite joy because we never lost faith”, as cited by CNN. Norbelys Aponte from Miami added, “For us, this means that justice arrives… No matter how much power someone has, if they don’t do things right, justice will always prevail. Justice may be slow, but it comes”.Top White House aide Stephen Miller said Cuban guards suffered “massive numbers of casualties” during the U.S. operation to capture Maduro in Caracas, describing it as a “raging gunfire battle”. Miller added, “The overwhelming share of casualties and fatalities that were inflicted were against the Cuban guard that had exerted control over the people of Venezuela”.According to the Cuban government, 32 of its citizens died in the U.S. operation, but Miller said the number reported publicly is probably lower than the actual number.
US troops and Maduro claims
Miller confirmed U.S. troops who were injured are in stable condition and all injuries were minor. The raid in Caracas was carried out by the U.S. Delta Force with help from an FBI unit. Nicolas Maduro claimed in court that he had been kidnapped in Caracas during the U.S. operation. Acting Venezuelan president Delcy Rodríguez called for “cooperation” with the U.S., but many Venezuelans remain uncertain about the future.President Donald Trump said the U.S. is “in charge” of Venezuela, and issued warnings about possible military actions in Colombia and concerns with Mexico and Greenland. U.S. administration officials held a classified briefing for select lawmakers about 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 Department of Justice, FBI, and DEA involved in the operation fall under the committee’s oversight. House Speaker Mike Johnson said capturing Maduro was “an appropriate action” and did not require prior congressional approval, only notification. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized the Trump administration, saying, “This wasn’t a law enforcement action. They are lying to the American people… it was an unprecedented military action” as stated by NBC News.
Colombia’s Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez highlighted that Colombia has paid a high price fighting drug trafficking, with hundreds of soldiers and police killed. Sanchez said Colombia is the most reliable U.S. ally in the fight against illegal drugs and has prevented billions of doses of cocaine from reaching the global market. Sánchez also responded to Trump’s public feud with Colombian President Gustavo Petro, emphasizing that Colombia wants world leaders to know the truth and avoid misinformation.
FAQs
Q1. What happened with Nicolas Maduro in New York court?Nicolas Maduro appeared in court for the first time in New York and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Q2. How did Venezuelans react to Maduro’s court appearance?
Venezuelans in the U.S. had mixed feelings—some felt justice was served, while others said the fight for freedom is not over.
