Overview
- Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife pleaded not guilty to US drug-trafficking charges at a New York hearing, were ordered detained, and received a March 17 court date.
- Venezuela’s Supreme Court moved Vice President Delcy Rodríguez into an acting presidency and she was sworn in, even as government institutions in Caracas continue to claim Maduro’s legitimacy.
- The UN human rights office warned the US operation undermined a core principle of international law and urged a unified international response.
- Markets showed limited volatility, with oil prices steady and shares of US energy firms such as Chevron and Exxon rising on expectations of medium‑term opportunities.
- Intelligence and political ripples widened as Cuba reported 32 security personnel killed during the raid, the Wall Street Journal cited a CIA assessment favoring Maduro loyalists to manage a transition, and a big Polymarket win before the announcement spurred a proposal to curb officials’ betting on prediction markets.