Ousted former Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty at his first court appearance Monday after the U.S. seized him in Caracas in a remarkable military operation over the weekend.

Surrounded by federal agents, the socialist strongman arrived at a New York City courthouse Monday morning to face charges related to drug trafficking. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the federal charges against Maduro and his wife on Saturday after U.S. forces carried out the successful operation to capture the pair from their heavily fortified home.

During the proceedings, Maduro insisted he was “kidnapped” from his home and remains president of Venezuela, an outburst that Manhattan federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein was quick to cut off. His wife pleaded not guilty to the charges shortly after the toppled dictator did so.

The indictment against Maduro accuses him of using his political authority to promote dug trafficking for the purpose of enriching his family and cronies. Maduro allegedly worked with drug traffickers to smuggle cocaine into the U.S. throughout his political career. He is charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices.

“This cycle of narcotics-based corruption lines the pockets of Venezuelan officials and their families while also benefiting violent narco-terrorists who operate with impunity on Venezuelan soil and who help produce, protect, and transport tons of cocaine to the United States,” the indictment reads.

DEA agents move captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from a helicopter, as Maduro heads towards the Daniel Patrick Manhattan United States Courthouse for an initial appearance, in New York City, January 5, 2026.

Trump administration officials cited the charges against Maduro to argue the military raid was a law enforcement operation meant to capture a rogue fugitive. Maduro was previously indicted on federal drug trafficking charges and had a $50 million bounty on his head. But, President Trump’s claim that the U.S. will “run” Venezuela until a new regime comes to power suggests otherwise, complicating the legal argument for launching the operation without congressional authorization.

The stunningly successful U.S. military and intelligence operation against Maduro took place in the wee hours of the morning Saturday. General Dan Caine confirmed Saturday there were no U.S. casualties or equipment damage during the operation, dubbed “Operation Absolute Resolve.” The capture of Maduro was the culmination of the Trump administration’s months-long pressure campaign against Venezuela to mitigate drug trafficking and oust Maduro.

Before the U.S. operation, Maduro openly taunted President Trump and appeared not to take Trump’s threats seriously. Trolling Maduro, Trump shared an image of a blindfolded Maduro wearing a gray Nike jumpsuit while aboard the U.S.S. Iwo Jima.

As president of Venezuela, Maduro oversaw economic collapse, food insecurity, and a refugee crisis during his brutal 12 year dictatorship. At the same time, he allied Venezuela with U.S. adversaries including Russia, Iran, China, and Cuba. His economic mismanagement and hostility to the U.S. led some voices to call for regime change years before the Trump administration removed him from power.

The successor to socialist dictator Hugo Chavez, Maduro held onto power after losing Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election and violently cracked down on protestors in doing so. Opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez won the presidency in 2024 with support from opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, the winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her activism.

For the time being, the Trump administration’s plan for Venezuela is to have Maduro’s vice president, socialist politician Delcy Rodriguez, conduct an orderly transition under the threat of further U.S. military action. Rodriguez issued a statement Sunday suggesting she is ready to cooperate with the U.S., but her Marxist credentials and prominent role in the Maduro regime might render suspicion.

Trump has bluntly threated Rodriguez by asserting her fate will be worse than Maduro’s if she does not cooperate. Following the capture of Maduro, Trump warned the U.S. would be ready to launch a “much bigger” second-wave against Venezuela to ensure the Maduro regime is fully removed from power.