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Snapshot 13:Mon, Jan 5, 2026 10:10:33 PM GMT last edited by Anna-Lisa

Maduro Pleads Not Guilty in New York Court

Maduro Pleads Not Guilty in New York Court

Maduro Pleads Not Guilty in New York Court
Above: U.S. federal agents escort Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, into an armored car in New York on Jan 5, 2026. Image credit: XNY/Star Max/GC Images/Getty Images

The Spin

The ousting and capture of the illegitimate dictator Nicolás Maduro was a necessary action against a narco-terrorist who murdered his own people and turned Venezuela into a Chinese client state. With this precision operation, the U.S. has tackled a criminal regime flooding America with drugs, blocked Beijing's expansion in the Western Hemisphere and reasserted its resolve to defend democratic sovereignty close to home.

Trump's military attack on Venezuela and kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro was an illegal assault on sovereignty that destroys international norms and sets a dangerous precedent. This unilateral strike executed without U.N. approval — or even congressional authorization — transforms the U.S. into a rogue state, emboldening further adventurism while the pretext about drugs rings hollow given Venezuela's marginal role in trafficking.

Metaculus Prediction

There's a 55% chance that there will be a civil war in Venezuela before 2050, according to the Metaculus prediction community.


The Controversies



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© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.0

© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.

All rights reserved.

Version 6.18.0