A defiant Nicolas Maduro declared himself the “president of my country” as he protested his capture and pleaded not guilty on Monday to the federal drug trafficking charges that the Trump administration used to justify removing him from power. But the US doesn't recognise Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate head of state — particularly after a much-disputed 2024 reelection. Before his capture, Maduro and his allies claimed US hostility was motivated by lust for Venezuela's rich oil and mineral resources. The US seized Maduro and his wife in a military operation early Saturday, capturing them in their home on a military base. Among other things, the indictment accuses Maduro and his wife of ordering kidnappings, beatings and murders of those who owed them drug money or undermined their drug trafficking operation.

Source: The Telegraph January 05, 2026 18:50 UTC