High-ranking Venezuelan officials have announced their continued unity and support for Nicolas Maduro, who was captured by the American special unit "Delta" on January 3, 2026, and taken to the United States. Maduro is currently in a New York detention center, where a court hearing on drug trafficking charges is scheduled for Monday. This is reported by Reuters, writes UNN.
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Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello emphasized in an audio message that there is only one legitimate president in the country - Nicolas Maduro, and called his and his wife Cilia Flores' detention an "abduction." Defense Minister General Vladimir Padrino reported the deaths of soldiers and civilians during the US attack, stating that the armed forces are involved in protecting sovereignty.
Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, by decision of the Supreme Court, assumed the position of interim leader during the president's absence. Despite her status as a pragmatic politician with deep knowledge in the oil industry, she publicly rejected Donald Trump's statements about readiness for cooperation.
The US has already announced its intention to return American oil companies to Venezuela and establish control over the country's energy resources. Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarified that the goal of the operation is to transform Venezuela from a "drug trafficking paradise" into a stable state, free from the influence of Iran and radical groups.