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Kidnapped Maduro to appear in New York court with protests expected outside

Monday, 05 January 2026 3:07 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 05 January 2026 3:07 PM ]

Kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrives at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, as he heads towards the Daniel Patrick Manhattan United States Courthouse for an initial appearance to face US federal charges in New York City, US, on January 5, 2026. (Photo by Reuters)

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, kidnapped from Caracas days ago by US forces, is set to appear in a New York federal court, with protests expected to erupt outside.

Maduro is scheduled to make his initial appearance at Manhattan federal court at noon on Monday, where US prosecutors have indicted him on four unsubstantiated charges: narco‑terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess such weapons.

His wife, Cilia Flores, is also set to appear in court on “drug-related charges.”

The allegations have been rejected and slammed by Caracas as politically motivated and part of Washington’s broader campaign to overthrow Maduro's government.

On Saturday, US forces kidnapped Maduro and his wife from Caracas and transferred them to New York following a military attack involving heavy bombing, aircraft, warships, and commandos.

In coincidence with the court appearance, Lower Manhattan's Foley Square is expected to see protests against the "illegal kidnapping".

Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who previously blocked the Trump administration’s broader use of emergency deportation powers against pro-Palestine protesters, is presiding over Maduro’s case, according to US media.

He has also blocked the administration from deporting Venezuelans under the "Alien Enemies Act", finding that the emergency wartime legislation had been applied illegally.

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United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres was "deeply alarmed by the recent escalation in Venezuela", saying the US action sets "a dangerous precedent." Yet, he did not explicitly condemn the attack.

The UN Security Council will hold a 10 am emergency meeting on the abduction of Maduro, called by Colombia.

Hours after the attack on Venezuela, US President Donald Trump said that the United States would run Venezuela temporarily and be "very strongly involved" in the country’s oil ‍industry.

Maduro was being held at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), a facility described by human rights organizations as a place that "breaks detainees’ spirits" even before trial. It has also drawn sustained criticism from judges and detainees over its conditions.

The military attack on Venezuela followed months of pressure on the country under the pretext of combating illegal drugs destined for the United States.

Caracas firmly denied any connection to drug trafficking and maintained that Washington aimed to overthrow the Venezuelan president in a bid to take control of the nation’s vast oil reserves.

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