Overview
- The State Department urged Americans to depart Venezuela immediately, citing reports of pro-government colectivos setting roadblocks and checking vehicles for U.S. citizens or perceived supporters.
- Caracas rejected the advisory as fabricated and asserted the country remains calm and stable.
- Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores remain detained in Brooklyn after pleading not guilty to drug-trafficking charges, with their next U.S. court date set for March 17.
- Maduro said in a video relayed by his son that he is well and “a fighter,” as daily pro-Maduro demonstrations continued in Caracas, drawing roughly a thousand supporters on Saturday.
- Rodríguez’s interim government has begun exploratory talks with U.S. diplomats following a visit to Caracas, as NGOs report about 21 political-prisoner releases and families gather outside prisons seeking updates.