Overview
- Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty in Manhattan on Monday to narco‑terrorism, cocaine importation and weapons charges, with the judge scheduling the next hearing for March 17.
- Hours after the arraignment, security forces in Caracas fired after drones were spotted over the Miraflores palace, authorities said the situation was under control, and a White House official said the U.S. was not involved.
- Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president in Caracas while Maduro told the court he was kidnapped and insisted he remains Venezuela’s leader.
- The UN Security Council convened an emergency session as multiple countries condemned the U.S. action, and Secretary‑General António Guterres warned it could breach international law.
- Semafor reported that senior editors at the New York Times and Washington Post were briefed on the operation and delayed publication at officials’ request; U.S. officials described nearly 200 personnel in the raid and reported no American fatalities, while Cuba said 32 of its citizens were killed.