Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, appeared in Manhattan federal court on Monday, following their capture by U.S. forces in a military operation in Caracas. They pleaded not guilty to charges including narco-terrorism, cocaine importation conspiracy, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices, with Maduro declaring, "I am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man. I am still president of my country."

The hearing was presided over by U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, who read the standard rights and confirmed their identities before the plea. Both defendants, wearing orange prison garb and shackled, were escorted into the courtroom and listened to the proceedings through headphones with interpreters.

The four-count superseding indictment accuses Maduro of conspiring with violent drug traffickers—including Mexico’s Sinaloa and Zetas cartels, Colombia’s FARC rebels, and Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang—for over 25 years, allegedly enriching himself and his allies through cocaine trafficking.

The charges include narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices Flores faces three counts related to the cocaine conspiracy Judge Hellerstein confirmed the couple’s identities, informed them of their rights, including the right to consult with Venezuelan consular officials, and allowed them to keep notes taken during the hearing. Maduro attempted to elaborate on his capture and asserted his presidency, prompting the judge to interrupt him.

Maduro’s attorney, Barry Pollack, signaled that the defense may challenge the legality of the military abduction, while Flores’s attorney, Mark Donnelly, reported she sustained significant injuries, including a bruise on her head and possible rib fractures, and requested medical evaluation. The next court date is set for March 17, 2026, and neither defendant requested bail at this time.

The couple is currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn and will remain there unless a future bail application is approved Maduro’s legal team has indicated that the case will involve complex litigation over the legality of his military abduction, potentially delaying any trial for years.

Maduro and Flores were captured during a U.S. military operation in Caracas, described by President Donald Trump as a "large-scale strike" involving approximately 200 U.S. forces, including elite Delta Force operatives, who stormed Maduro’s residence by helicopter.

The operation was conducted in coordination with U.S. law enforcement, and the couple was flown to New York via helicopter, with their transfer from a Brooklyn detention center to the Manhattan courthouse heavily secured and televised. Trump said the U.S. is now "in charge" of Venezuela and plans to open its oil sector to American companies, though no consultation with major oil firms occurred prior to the capture.

Maduro's Son Addresses Venezuelan National Assembly Following Father's Capture By The U.S.

Meanwhile, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, son of the ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, delivered a defiant speech before the Venezuelan National Assembly on Monday, following his father’s capture by U.S. military forces in Caracas. He denounced the operation as a "kidnapping" and declared that his father and "second mother" were illegally seized, warning that normalizing such actions threatens global stability and the sovereignty of all nations.

Maduro Guerra called on the international community to show solidarity with Venezuela and pledged his family’s support to interim leader Delcy Rodríguez, saying, “The homeland is in good hands, dad, and we will hug each other soon here in Venezuela.”

Maduro Guerra referred to his father as "President Maduro" and insisted that the U.S. raid was an act of imperialism that could endanger any nation that refuses to submit. He warned that if the world accepts the abduction of a head of state, "no country is safe. Today, it is Venezuela. Tomorrow, it could be any nation that decides not to submit."

He described the situation as a "dangerous regression" to imperialist practices and emphasized that the issue is not regional but a direct threat to global stability and the sovereign equality of nations.

Maduro Guerra pledged unconditional support to Delcy Rodríguez, the former vice president who was sworn in as interim leader, and declared, “Count on me, count on my family, and count on our firmness in taking the right steps forward in this responsibility you have been given today.”

He also issued a message to the Venezuelan people via social media, saying, “You will see us on the streets” of Venezuela and that “history will tell who the traitors were.”

Jorge Rodríguez, the interim president's brother, was also sworn in as President of National Assembly of Venezuela. "You will have in me a President of the National Assembly who will not fear dialogue, but who will also demand discipline and respect for the opinions of others," he said. "I swear that in this difficult moment for our nation, in this moment when the people are asking what our destiny will be and what will become of our leaders, we can say with confidence that together we will always prevail. I swear it.”

The capture has triggered global controversy. The United Nations Security Council debated the legality of the raid, with Russia, China, and Venezuela’s allies condemning it as a violation of international law. The U.S. State Department, under Secretary Marco Rubio, has labeled Maduro an illegitimate dictator since his disputed 2018 election.

In Venezuela, Vice President Rodriguez was sworn in as interim leader and vowed to defend the country against U.S. aggression, though she later invited U.S. cooperation within international law.

Domestically, a political storm has erupted in the U.S., with 72% of Americans expressing concern over increased U.S. involvement in Venezuela, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

A Paris court on Monday, found ten people guilty of cyberbullying France’s 'first lady,' Brigitte Macron, for speading claims about her gender and sexuality, including allegations she was born a man and linking her 24-year age gap and having affair with then 14-year-old Emmanuel Macron, to pedophilia.

The court handed down sentences ranging from a six-month prison term to suspended sentences of four to eight months, with all defendants mandated to attend cyberbullying awareness training.

Delphine Jegousse, 51, known as Amandine Roy, was identified as a major instigator for releasing a four-hour YouTube video in 2021 spreading the false narrative; she received a six-month prison sentence. Aurélien Poirson-Atlan, 41, known as Zoé Sagan on social media, had his X account suspended in 2024 and was sentenced to eight months in prison.

One defendant, a property asset manager, received a six-month prison sentence, which may be served at home under conditions such as an ankle monitor. Eight defendants were given suspended sentences between four and eight months.

The one defendant not given a prison sentence was a teacher who apologized during the trial and will only attend awareness training. Five of those convicted were barred from using the social media platform X for six months, and all were fined 600 euros each, with a collective compensation of 10,000 euros ($12,000) ordered to Brigitte Macron.

During the trial, several defendants claimed their comments were intended as humor or satire and expressed confusion over being prosecuted. The court rejected these defenses, stating the repeated, malicious nature of the posts had cumulative harmful effects.

Bertrand Scholler, 55, a gallerist and writer, said he would appeal his six-month suspended jail sentence.

"This is horrible. It's abominable," he told reporters at court. "This shows just how far French society is drifting toward less freedom of speech. Freedom of speech no longer exists."

Speaking on TF1 national television on Sunday, Brigitte Macron said she launched legal proceedings to “set an example” in the fight against harassment. She emphasized the relentless nature of the online attacks, including instances where her tax website was hacked and her identity altered, and stressed the importance of helping adolescents combat harassment.

Brigitte's daughter, Tiphaine Auzière, testified about the “deterioration” of her mother’s life and the emotional toll on the entire family, including Macron’s grandchildren.

Brigitte claimed that her attackers ignored the strong evidence of her gender. "A birth certificate is not nothing. It is a father or a mother who goes to declare their child, who says who he is or who she is," she said. "I want to help adolescents to fight against harassment, and if I do not set an example, it will be difficult."

The French court case follows years of reporting and online chatter claiming Brigitte Macron was born Jean-Michel Trogneux, the name of her brother, and coincides with a separate defamation lawsuit filed by the Macrons against U.S. journalist and conmmentator Candace Owens. The French 'first lady' claims 'she' was born Brigitte Auzière, is a mother of three, and married Emmanuel Macron in 2007 after previously meeting as teacher and student (when Brigitte was allegedly 39 and Emmanuel was 14).

Responding to the sentencing, one of the French reporters who investigated Brigitte's gender mystery, Xavier Poussard wrote on X, "While 11 French citizens have just been convicted of cyberbullying Brigitte Macron, 'she' bizarrely explained yesterday on @TF1 that the prosecution in the Jean-Michel Trogneux case was intended to 'set an example' in order to 'help teenagers.' However, 'Brigitte,' who intimately knew @EmmanuelMacron as his drama student when he was 14, never contradicted judicially the conclusions of #BecomingBrigitte, namely that she was born a male as Jean-Michel Trogneux and became known under the married name of her younger sister, Brigitte Auzière, since the mid-1980s."

On her part, Owens wrote, "Consider the fact that this man statutorily raped a student and is today securing convictions for 'cyberbullying' against people for discussing his dark past. It is my honest to God belief that Jean Michel Trogneux was involved in some really sinister stuff during his military years, which made his transition a requirement. Brigitte is dangerous. That he wakes up everyday, puts on a fake wig, lipstick and mascara and declares war on those who know his true identity is nothing short of psychopathic."

Owens added, "I do not believe Jean Michel Trogneux transitioned because he felt he was a woman. I believe he transitioned because whatever he did during his military years overseas was so demented that he needed an entirely new face and identity. Brigitte mentioning 'MKUltra' a shocking 18 times in his lawsuit against me was a confession."