Trump-Venezuela HIGHLIGHTS: Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, made their first court appearances in New York City, two days after the US captured them in a surprise attack. Both Maduro and his wife pleaded “not guilty” to drug trafficking and other federal charges.
Maduro also told the court he is “a decent man” and remains the legitimate President of Venezuela. He is next slated to appear before the court on March 17.
Maduro and Flores were charged in the US with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy and weapons offences. President Donald Trump said the US is “in charge” of Venezuela and warned its interim leader to cooperate or pay a “very big price.”
Maduro pleads not guilty, calls himself a ‘prisoner of war’
Two days after being seized by US forces in Caracas, Nicolás Maduro appeared in a Manhattan federal courtroom and pleaded not guilty to charges including narco-terrorism and cocaine importation. Speaking through a translator, he declared, “I am innocent. I am still the president of my country,” and repeatedly referred to himself as a “prisoner of war.” His wife, Cilia Flores, also pleaded not guilty. Maduro’s lawyers signaled they may challenge the legality of his capture, citing his status as a former head of state
Trump and US officials assert control over Venezuela
Senior US officials, including President Trump and aides such as Stephen Miller and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, have emphasized Washington’s leverage over Venezuela following the raid. Hegseth revealed that nearly 200 US troops, including Delta Force soldiers and an FBI unit, participated in the Caracas operation. Trump said the US is “in charge” of Venezuela, citing military presence and control over the country’s economic levers. The White House has framed the operation as a law enforcement action targeting drug trafficking.
Trump projects Venezuela’s energy infrastructure could be rebuilt in under 18 months
Following Maduro’s removal, President Trump outlined plans to revive Venezuela’s crumbling oil sector, suggesting US companies could restore infrastructure and bring production back online in less than 18 months. “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,” Trump said in an NBC interview. “I think we can do it in less time than that, but it’ll be a lot of money,” Trump said.
He also reiterated that Venezuelan elections are not possible in the near term, stressing that the country must first be stabilised and rebuilt. Senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Hegseth, and Vice President JD Vance, are expected to oversee US involvement as the rebuilding effort progresses.
Energy policy expert comments on Venezuela crisis
Energy policy expert Narendra Taneja said that even though Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the world, it plays only a small role in global oil supply. He explained that the latest developments are unlikely to cause any immediate change in oil prices. Taneja also pointed out that the situation could open doors for Indian oil companies in the future, especially if sanctions on Venezuela are eased.
He said that Indian firms are familiar with Venezuela’s oil sector and have worked with the country for many years and added that Venezuelan crude is very heavy and cannot be processed by most refineries around the world. His comments came after the United States carried out a major military operation in Venezuela, following which President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were detained and taken out of the country.
Taneja said Venezuela currently produces around 9 lakh barrels of oil per day, most of which is exported to China. He added that production could rise sharply to about 3 million barrels a day within a year if the United States steps in.
Follow this space for highlights on Venezuela and Trump’s latest actions:
Trump-Venezuela HIGHLIGHTS:
US-Venezuela Live Updates: Countries react to US attack
Global Condemnation: China, Russia, and Iran, all longtime allies of Maduro, condemned the US operation in Venezuela. The Chinese foreign ministry called it a “clear violation of international law” and demanded Maduro’s “immediate release.”
Colombian President Gustavo Petro slammed the move as an “assault on the sovereignty” of Latin America and warned it could trigger a humanitarian crisis.
Some US allies, including the EU, expressed concern over the raid, while Italy and Israel, led by leaders supportive of Trump, gave a more favourable reaction.
US-Venezuela Live Updates: Trump signals trouble for Cuba but denies US action
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Cuba could face economic difficulties following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, which he said cuts off a key flow of cash supporting the island’s communist government.
“I think it’s just going to fall. I don’t think we need any action,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on his flight back to Washington when asked about potential US intervention in Cuba.
Trump’s tone contrasted with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who earlier said during a Saturday news conference, “Look, if I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I’d be concerned at least a little bit.” Rubio added in an NBC News interview, “The Cuban government is a huge problem… I don’t think it’s any mystery that we are not big fans of the Cuban regime.”
Trump explained that Venezuela’s ouster of Maduro cuts off Cuba’s key income stream. “Cuba only survives because of Venezuela,” he said, noting that without Venezuelan support, the island “won’t have that money coming in.”
Major air travel disruptions triggered by the US raid on Venezuela began to ease on Sunday, though some passengers are still facing delays and long waits.
Danny Cabrera, who was vacationing in Saint Croix, speaking to NBC, described the atmosphere at the airport as tense and exhausting. “Right now, it just feels like everybody is just kind of drained,” he said. Cabrera was meant to fly out on Saturday to visit his grandmother in the United States, who is currently in hospice care. He eventually managed to get a flight late Sunday, but many others were not as lucky.
Airlines are slowly clearing backlogs as schedules return to normal, but stranded travelers in parts of the Caribbean are still struggling for seats and bracing for further delays.
US-Venezuela Live Updates: Venezuela’s oil riches remain largely untapped
Venezuela holds the largest oil reserves in the world, even more than Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and the UAE. Yet years of underinvestment and economic collapse have left the country exporting very little oil.
In fact, oil prices were already under pressure even before the Venezuela crisis. In 2025, both US crude and Brent posted their biggest yearly drops since 2020.
Trafigura’s chief economist Saad Rahim had warned earlier that the oil market could face a “super glut” — a situation where supply far exceeds demand — pushing prices even lower.
US-Venezuela Live Updates: Fixing Venezuela’s oil industry won’t be easy
While Venezuela has massive oil reserves, bringing its energy sector back to life would take years. Experts say restoring production would require billions of dollars and major upgrades to pipelines, refineries and ports. As of Sunday night, it was still unclear who would provide that money, who would take the risks, and who would ultimately benefit.
Venezuela’s state oil company, PDVSA, has estimated that even restoring the industry to 1990s levels would need at least $8 billion in direct investment.
US-Venezuela Live Updates: Gold and silver rise as safe havens
Gold jumped more than $70 on Sunday, rising over 1.6 percent as investors looked for safer places to park their money. Silver rose even more, gaining nearly 5 percent.
US-Venezuela Live Updates: Trump talks about US companies entering Venezuela
The market reaction came after Trump spoke about Venezuela’s oil future following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. “We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies — the biggest anywhere in the world — go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure and start making money for the country,” Trump said on Saturday.
US-Venezuela Live Updates: Oil prices swing as Trump’s Venezuela move rattles markets
Oil prices moved up and down on Sunday night as traders tried to understand what President Donald Trump’s military action against Venezuela could mean for the global energy market, NBC reported.
When trading opened at 6 pm Eastern Time, US crude oil prices fell at first. Soon after, they climbed by nearly half a percent, only to slip again later in the night. By around 10 pm, prices were once again lower.
Brent crude, the global benchmark, showed a similar pattern. It dipped early, edged up briefly, and then softened again. By 10:40 pm, Brent was trading slightly below where it started the session.
US-Venezuela Live Updates: Delcy Rodríguez chairs first cabinet meeting as acting president
Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez held her first council of ministers meeting on Sunday, a day after US forces seized President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.
Images released from the meeting show Rodríguez seated at the head of the table, surrounded by senior ministers and officials. Behind her were portraits of Nicolás Maduro, former president Hugo Chávez, and independence leader Simón Bolívar.
Rodríguez formally assumed the role after a Supreme Court ruling on Saturday, which ordered the then vice president to take over the powers and duties of acting president.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado is the most trusted political figure in the country, her adviser David Smolansky has said, pushing back against US President Donald Trump’s claim that she lacks domestic support.
“With due respect to President Trump, María Corina Machado is the most trusted leader in Venezuela,” Smolansky told CNN’s Jim Sciutto on Sunday.
Trump had earlier told the New York Post that Machado would only win an election if she had his backing. Smolansky rejected that view, pointing to Machado’s political track record.
Smolansky, who lives in exile and runs Machado’s campaign efforts in Washington DC, said there was no doubt about her role in Venezuela’s future.
US-Venezuela Live Updates: India prepares accurate oil data
India’s Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) has asked refiners to release weekly data on both Russian and US oil imports. Officials said the move is to ensure verified information is available when the US requests it, rather than relying on secondary sources.
“We want timely and accurate data on Russian and U.S. oil imports so that, when the U.S. asks for information, we can provide verified figures instead of them relying on secondary sources,” a government official told Reuters.
US-Venezuela Live Updates: Background on US-India trade tensions
Trump first imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods, later adding another 25% to target India’s purchase of discounted Russian oil amid the Ukraine crisis. Critics in the US Congress have blamed these high duties for straining trade ties, especially as negotiations for a new trade deal continue.
Recent data from India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry shows Russian oil imports reached a six-month high in November 2025, totaling 7.7 million tonnes – a 7% increase from the previous year. At the same time, India’s imports of US oil also rose to a seven-month high, at 2.8 million tonnes in November.
US-Venezuela Live Updates: Trump threatens higher tariffs on India
US President Donald Trump has once again warned that the United States could raise tariffs on Indian goods. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said the move could come if India does not assist on the “Russian oil issue.”
“We could raise tariffs on India if they don’t help on Russian oil issue,” Trump said, according to Reuters.
The President also mentioned Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi: “PM Modi’s a very good man. He’s a good guy. He knew I was not happy. It was important to make me happy. They do trade, and we can raise tariffs on them very quickly…”
US-Venezuela Live Updates: Venezuela extends olive branch to US after Trump warning
“President Donald Trump: our peoples and our region deserve peace and dialogue, not war. This has always been President Nicolás Maduro’s message, and it is a message of all Venezuela right now,” Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said in comments made directly to the US president.
Rodríguez emphasized that Venezuela will “prioritize moving toward balanced and respectful international relations” with the US. She added, “Venezuela has the right to peace, to development, to sovereignty and to a future.”
US-Venezuela Live Updates: Defence minister warns of global threat
Venezuela’s Defence Minister, Vladimir Padrino López, issued a strong warning, saying US actions posed a danger not just to Venezuela but to the global order. “If today it is Venezuela, tomorrow it could be any country,” he said. He urged Venezuelans to remain calm, avoid fear, and return to normal life, including work, education, and economic activity.
Padrino also demanded the immediate release of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
US-Venezuela Live Updates: Venezuela calls for calm and cooperation
In response to Trump’s warning, interim President Delcy Rodríguez called for a “balanced and respectful” relationship with the United States.
Writing on Telegram, she said Venezuela was ready to work with Washington on cooperation and shared development. “We invite the US government to work together on an agenda aimed at common progress,” she said.
US-Venezuela Live Updates: ‘Cuba is ready to fall,’ Trump claims
Trump claimed that Cuba was on the verge of collapse and would struggle without subsidised Venezuelan oil. “I don’t think we need any action,” he said. “It looks like it’s going down.”
Trump also repeated his interest in Greenland, saying, “We do need Greenland, absolutely,” despite it being part of Denmark, a NATO ally.
US-Venezuela Live Updates: Warnings to Colombia, Mexico and others
Trump’s remarks went beyond Venezuela. He suggested that other countries could also face US action if they failed to meet American demands, especially on drug trafficking.
He criticised Colombia’s leadership, saying, “Colombia is governed by a sick man. He won’t be doing it very long.” Trump even floated the idea of an “Operation Colombia.”
He also warned Mexico, saying it must “get its act together” or face consequences. “If they don’t behave, we will carry out a second strike on Venezuela,” he said, linking regional cooperation to US military decisions.
US-Venezuela Live Updates: Second strike ‘not off the table,’ says Trump
Trump has warned that the United States could carry out a second military strike on Venezuela. “We were prepared for a second wave. Everything was ready,” he said. “We don’t think we’ll need it, but it’s there,” Trump said speaking to reporters on board Air Force One on Sunday.
Trump directly warned Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, saying she could face consequences even worse than those faced by Nicolás Maduro if she does not cooperate.
“If she doesn’t do what’s right, she’s going to pay a very big price — probably bigger than Maduro,” Trump said in an interview with The Atlantic.