Venezuela proceeded with a surprise move, which shows that the government of Delcy Rodriguez continues for the time being to control the army and, by extension, the situation in the country, and declared a general mobilization to protect the oil resources and the remaining strategic enterprises of the country, which are being eyed by the USA of Donald Trump.
By shielding the major energy enterprises and the armed forces, the government of Venezuela throws the ball into Donald Trump’s court, who now faces a strategic dilemma:
To launch a full scale attack against Caracas, assuming all the risks this operation entails for the USA, or to accept the strategic vacuum into which he has fallen by abducting Nicolas Maduro, without however being able to support this strategy further and with planned steps.
And this is because the political puppets of the USA in Venezuela neither can nor receive the popular legitimacy to take the reins of the country in the post Maduro era.
At the same time, before the American court in New York, Nicolas Maduro declared himself innocent of the narcoterrorism charges in the USA and stressed: “I am an honest man, I am still the president of Venezuela”.
Venezuela shocks Trump with general mobilization
The authorities of Venezuela declared a general mobilization, while a “war regime” was imposed on workers in the oil industry and other sectors of strategic importance, reports the agency Ria, citing a decree.
“Immediate mobilization of the national armed forces throughout the country is ordered and the use of the existing national power potential to repel foreign aggression”, the document states.
It is noted that state infrastructure, the oil industry, and other key state sectors will be militarized.
Strategic enterprises under martial law, the situation becomes more complicated for Trump
Personnel in these enterprises will be temporarily placed under a regime of martial law.
Patrols and security measures will be strengthened at the land, air, and sea borders of the country.
The document is dated 3 January and is valid for 90 days from the date of its publication.
On 3 January, it was reported that the American military carried out air strikes against targets in the capital of Venezuela, Caracas, and across the country.
Subsequently, the American President Donald Trump issued a statement announcing that the President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro and the First Lady Cilia Flores were arrested and removed from the country.
The first hearing of Maduro before the American court: “I am innocent, I am honest, I am the president of Venezuela”
Nicolas Maduro and his wife appeared before the bench at 19:00 (Greece time).
The proceedings took place with simultaneous interpretation.
The defense attorney of Nicolas Maduro, Barry J. Pollack, arrived shortly before, according to Sky News, and greeted the prosecutors.
Maduro declared himself innocent of the narcoterrorism charges in the USA and stressed: “I am an honest man, I am still the president of Venezuela”.
For her part, Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, declared herself innocent, saying that “I am the first lady of Venezuela”.
The lawyers of both Maduro and his wife stated that their clients would not seek release on bail for the time being.
They added that they would file an application at a later date.
For his part, the judge scheduled a new hearing for 17 March, while informing the couple that they have the right to communicate with consular authorities.
Maduro replied that he wishes such a visit to take place.
“I was arrested in my home in Caracas, Venezuela”
A few minutes after his first appearance in federal court, the president of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro stood before a judge and said: “I was arrested in my home in Caracas, Venezuela”.
As reported by the American network CNN, the statement foreshadows what will likely be one of his main defense actions: that his cold blooded arrest in a foreign country by American authorities, a “military abduction”, according to the words of his lawyer, violated the law.
This is not the first time a defendant has raised this argument.
Three decades ago, Manuel Noriega of Panama accused the USA of violating both international law and due process protections by invading Panama and arresting him, transferring him abroad.
But this argument was unsuccessful, as the courts refused to examine the legality of the invasion of Panama itself and focused only on the claims in Noriega’s indictment.
“There will be a time and a place to examine all this”, the judge said.
The charges to be brought against Maduro and his wife
The President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were brought before a court in New York.
It is the Manhattan court, where formal charges will be brought against the leader of Venezuela and his wife, who were abducted by American special forces.
According to preliminary information, American prosecutorial authorities accuse Nicolás Maduro of “forming a criminal organization, drug cartel”, “illegal enrichment through drug trafficking”, and “terrorism”.
If all the penalties provided by the aforementioned articles of the American criminal code are combined, Nicolás Maduro faces up to three times life imprisonment.
His wife faces at least 18 years of imprisonment for “complicity”.
Assange’s lawyer in the defense of Nicolas Maduro
It is noteworthy that the interests of Nicolás Maduro in court will be represented by the lawyer Barry Pollack based in Washington.
Barry Pollack is known for his legal efforts that led to the release of Julian Assange.
However, Julian Assange was forced to accept a judicial plea bargain: he was required to plead guilty to espionage and disclosure of classified information in exchange for recognition of the time he had already served in prison at the time of his “confession”. After his release, Julian Assange departed for Australia.
It is recalled that the “classified information” for which Julian Assange was charged concerned crimes committed by the American military, among others in Iraq.
Barry Pollack has the reputation of being one of the most effective lawyers in the USA.
Experts in the USA believe that Barry Pollack is well positioned to secure the release of Nicolás Maduro.
One of his main arguments is that the USA acted without a UN mandate during his arrest and that the American President violated domestic legislation by failing to inform Congress.
The lawyer Mark Donnelly from Texas will represent Cilia Flores.
He has a less impressive track record than Barry Pollack.
His most prominent case is undoubtedly the impeachment trial of the Attorney General of Texas Ken Paxton.
Delcy Rodriguez sworn in as president of Venezuela
Supporters of Nicolás Maduro have gathered outside the court in New York, demanding the release of the president of Venezuela and at the same time the conduct of a criminal investigation against Donald Trump, who ordered the abduction of the head of state and his wife.
Meanwhile, in Caracas, the interim President Delcy Rodriguez was officially sworn in.
She had served as vice president and energy minister under Nicolás Maduro.
Russian anger at the UN: “The USA carried out a global heist by abducting the president of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro”
Meanwhile, the Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, described the abduction of the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro by the USA as an “act of robbery”.
The UN meeting on the situation in Venezuela was broadcast live by the channel of the Russian diplomatic service on Telegram.
“The robbery against the leader of Venezuela, accompanied by the death of several dozen citizens of Venezuela and Cuba, became in the eyes of many a harbinger of a return to an era of lawlessness and American domination through violence”, said Vasily Nebenzya.
The Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN added that there can be no justification for the crime cynically committed by Washington in Caracas.
According to Vasily Nebenzya, the USA, with its operation in Venezuela, is giving new impetus to neocolonialism.
The diplomat also pointed out the unacceptability of allowing the United States to establish itself in the role of an international judge.
In addition, Vasily Nebenzya emphasized during the meeting that Moscow was shocked by the cynicism with which Washington “did not even try to conceal its real objectives” in Venezuela.
As stated by the Secretary General António Guterres, the UN calls on all political forces in Venezuela to participate in an “inclusive democratic dialogue” to determine the future of the country.
The UN Secretary General noted that the United States failed to comply with international law during its operation in Venezuela.
On 3 January 2026, the United States launched an attack on Venezuela and abducted Nicolás Maduro and his wife.
In the United States, the leader of the country will be brought to trial for crimes related to the creation of a drug cartel.
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