Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges including narco-terrorism and cocaine importation following a dramatic U.S. military operation that captured the couple in Caracas. The extraordinary event has rattled world leaders and left Venezuelan officials scrambling to respond.
In a New York federal court, Maduro, 63, faced four criminal counts, including narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices. “I am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man. I am still president of my country,” he said through an interpreter before U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein cut him off. Flores also pleaded not guilty. A follow-up hearing is scheduled for March 17.
Prosecutors allege that Maduro oversaw a vast cocaine-trafficking network working with violent groups including Mexico’s Sinaloa and Zetas cartels, Colombian FARC rebels, and Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang. Maduro has consistently denied the allegations, calling them a pretext for foreign intervention to seize Venezuela’s oil wealth.
The U.S. operation, carried out by elite Special Forces including Delta Force, involved helicopters entering Caracas, breaching Maduro’s security cordon, and removing him from a secure room. The president and his wife were then flown to U.S. custody in New York, marking one of the most dramatic U.S. interventions in Latin America since the 1989 Panama invasion.
The operation has triggered global debate. The UN Security Council convened to discuss the raid, which was condemned by Russia, China, and leftist allies of Venezuela. UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed concern over the legality of the operation and potential instability in the region.
Inside Venezuela, Maduro’s acting government initially condemned the seizure as a “kidnapping” and an attempt to seize the nation’s oil resources. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez later called for dialogue with Washington, emphasizing the need for cooperation and regional peace. Meanwhile, U.S. oil companies’ shares surged amid expectations of access to Venezuela’s vast reserves, estimated at 303 billion barrels, though production has fallen sharply due to mismanagement and sanctions.
The raid has created political turbulence in the United States as well. Opposition Democrats criticized the operation as misleading, while some conservative voices questioned whether it aligned with America First foreign policy principles. Most supporters, however, praised it as a swift and decisive action.
In Venezuela, public reaction has been cautious. Many Maduro opponents have delayed celebrations, as the president’s allies remain in power and there is no indication of a military split, although speculation continues that some insiders assisted in the operation.
The capture of a sitting head of state by a foreign military is unprecedented in modern Latin American history and raises urgent questions about international law, regional stability, and the future of Venezuela’s leadership and economy.
