Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was captured and pleaded not guilty to drug charges in a New York court, claiming he was 'kidnapped' and remains president. Following this, U.S. President Donald Trump ruled out snap elections in Venezuela for at least 30 days, stating the country needed to be 'fixed' first, and suggested the U.S. government might reimburse oil companies for expanding operations. Amidst international criticism of the U.S. military operation, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as the country's interim leader, while opposition figures and some U.S. politicians reacted strongly to Trump's plans.
summarize the following article: Venezuelan interim president condemns kidnapping of Maduro as she's sworn in Your support helps us to tell the story SUPPORT NOW From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. Read more President Donald Trump has ruled out holding snap elections in Venezuela in the next 30 days, as captured president Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty to drug charges at a New York court on Monday. "We have to fix the country first. You can't have an election. There is no way the people could even vote," the U.S. president claimed. "We have to nurse the country back to health." Trump also suggested the U.S. government could reimburse oil companies for expanding operations in Venezuela in under 18 months. "I think we can do it in less time than that, but it’ll be a lot of money," Trump told NBC News. Earlier, Maduro told a Manhattan federal court that he had been "kidnapped" and remained president of Venezuela. "I am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man. I am still president of my country," Maduro, 63, said through an interpreter, before being cut off by U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein. The ousted president scribbled notes on a white notepad throughout the 30-minute hearing and listened intently on headphones, via an interpreter. He and his wife Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty to multiple counts relating to an alleged massive cocaine trafficking operation. RECOMMENDED ‘Captured’ Venezuelan leader Maduro declares he is a ‘decent man’ as he appears in US court on drug charges Trump wants to rule Venezuela by force – but he’s getting the US into a mess Stephen Miller escalates Trump’s threats for the US to take over Greenland and defends Venezuela raid in fiery CNN appearance Trump shared video of Venezuelans ‘celebrating’ Maduro’s capture. The footage is 17 months old KEY POINTS Trump says Venezuela 'can’t have an election' within the next month Trump says the U.S. government may reimburse oil companies Maduro says he is a 'decent man' as he pleads not guilty White House official says U.S. is 'not involved' in reported Caracas gunfire Opposition leader Machado vows to return to Venezuela Trump rules out holding snap elections in Venezuela President Donald Trump has ruled out holding snap elections in Venezuela in the next 30 days, as captured president Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty to drug charges at a New York court on Monday. "We have to fix the country first. You can't have an election. There is no way the people could even vote," the U.S. president claimed. "We have to nurse the country back to health."Trump rejected claims that the U.S. is engaged in a war with Venezuela. "No, we're not," he said. "We're at war with people who sell drugs. We're at war with people who empty their prisons into our country and empty their drug addicts and empty their mental institutions into our country." Alisha Rahaman Sarkar6 January 2026 05:26 Trump officials brief top lawmakers on Venezuela as the UN and key American allies criticize military operation Top officials from the Trump administration briefed Congressional leaders Monday on its covert raid in Venezuela over the weekend, as the United Nations and key American allies criticized the military operation. In the early morning hours Saturday, U.S. special forces and law enforcement officials captured now-deposed President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in the capital city of Caracas. Maduro and Flores were taken to New York to face drug and weapons charges, to which they pleaded not guilty Monday. Later Saturday, Trump said the U.S. would temporarily run Venezuela, and on Monday, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as the country’s interim leader. Rachel Dobkin reports. Trump officials brief Congress on Venezuela as the UN criticizes military operation Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the classified briefing ‘posed far more questions than it ever answered’ Alisha Rahaman Sarkar6 January 2026 05:20 Supporters of Maduro protest outside court in New York Demonstrators hold signs in support of ousted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro outside the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse as Maduro awaits his arraignment hearing on January 5, 2026 in New York (AFP via Getty Images) Demonstrators hold signs in support of ousted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro outside the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse as Maduro awaits his arraignment hearing on January 5, 2026 in New York (AFP via Getty Images) Alisha Rahaman Sarkar6 January 2026 05:00 Trump says the U.S. government may reimburse oil companies President Donald Trump said the U.S. government may reimburse oil companies for expanding operations in Venezuela. The president told NBC News that he believes US oil operations in Venezuela could be brought “up and running” in under 18 months."I think we can do it in less time than that, but it’ll be a lot of money," Trump said. "A tremendous amount of money will have to be spent, and the oil companies will spend it, and then they’ll get reimbursed by us or through revenue," he added. The U.S. administration is planning to meet with executives from U.S. oil companies later this week to discuss boosting Venezuelan oil production. The meetings are crucial to the administration's hopes of getting top U.S. oil companies back into the South American nation after its government, nearly two decades ago, took control of U.S.-led energy operations there. The three biggest U.S. oil companies – Exxon Mobil, ConocoPhillips, and Chevron – have not yet had any conversations with the administration about president Nicolas Maduro's ouster, four oil industry executives familiar with the matter told the Associated Press. It contradicted Trump's statements over the weekend that he had already held meetings with "all" the U.S. oil companies, both before and since Maduro was seized. "Nobody in those three companies has had conversations with the White House about operating in Venezuela, pre-removal or post-removal to this point," one of the sources said on Monday. Alisha Rahaman Sarkar6 January 2026 04:43 Watch: Hakeem Jeffries says Americans 'do not support' Trump and his 'cronies' running Venezuela Rachel Dobkin6 January 2026 04:40 Rand Paul calls Trump's rhetoric about going after more countries 'escalatory' Senator Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, has called President Donald Trump’s rhetoric about going after more countries “escalatory.” After conducting a military operation in Caracas and capturing now-deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Trump has threatened to take action against other countries, including Colombia, which he says is “run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States. “ “To say that Colombia is next—I think that kind of rhetoric is escalatory,” Paul said, per MeidasTouch Network. Rachel Dobkin6 January 2026 04:20 Trump says Venezuela 'can’t have an election' within the next month President Donald Trump told NBC News Monday Venezuela “can’t have an election” within the next month. "We have to fix the country first. You can’t have an election. There’s no way the people could even vote,” Trump said, adding, “No, it’s going to take a period of time. We have — we have to nurse the country back to health." Rachel Dobkin6 January 2026 04:00 Watch: Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado praises Trump Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado praised President Donald Trump on Fox News Monday night for the U.S. raid on Caracas that led to the capture of deposed President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Rachel Dobkin6 January 2026 03:50 Speaker Johnson: 'We don’t expect U.S. troops on the ground' Speaker Mike Johnson on Monday said U.S. troops would have a limited role in Venezuela after top deputies to president Donald Trump briefed senior congressional leaders on the arrest of sitting president Nicolas Maduro. “We don’t expect troops on the ground,” Johnson told reporters. “We don’t expect direct involvement in any other way beyond just coercing the … the interim government to get that going. I expect that there will be an election called in Venezuela. … It should happen in short order.” The statement appears to contradict the stance of President Trump, who claimed over the weekend that he was open to sending U.S. forces into Venezuela. "We're not afraid of boots on the ground," Trump told reporters. Alisha Rahaman Sarkar6 January 2026 03:43 Democrats react to Trump saying oil companies will be reimbursed for possible Venezuela investments: 'Mob boss politics' Democratic senators have reacted to President Donald Trump saying oil companies will be reimbursed for investing in Venezuela’s energy sector. Trump told NBC News Monday, "A tremendous amount of money will have to be spent and the oil companies will spend it, and then they’ll get reimbursed by us or through revenue.” Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said, per NBC News’ Senior Congressional Reporter Scott Wong, "How does a CEO go to his shareholders and say, 'No dividends this year -- we're investing in Venezuela.'" Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey said Trump is practicing “mob boss politics, and we see it extending from the domestic policies into foreign policy.” "He is essentially running an extortion foreign policy right now, where everything he is trying to do with regards to Venezuela is about: What can we get out of it?" Rachel Dobkin6 January 2026 03:40 Newer 1 / 5 Older
