Maduro says he’s a ‘prisoner of war’: Why that matters

Al JazeeraCenterEN 5 min read 100% complete by Sarah ShamimJanuary 6, 2026 at 02:10 PM
Maduro says he’s a ‘prisoner of war’: Why that matters

AI Summary

long article 5 min

In January 2026, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was arraigned in a New York court after being abducted by U.S. special forces in Venezuela. Maduro pleaded not guilty to federal charges, including narcoterrorism, while claiming he is a "prisoner of war." He argued he is innocent and still the legitimate president of Venezuela. Other Venezuelan leaders initially echoed this position, but Maduro's deputy, Delcy Rodriguez, who has since taken over as interim president, offered to cooperate with the Trump administration. The Trump administration has framed the abduction as a law enforcement operation, while Maduro's defense is based on the rights afforded to prisoners of war. Maduro's wife, Cilia Flores, also pleaded not guilty as a codefendant.

Keywords

prisoner of war 100% nicolas maduro 90% abduction 80% narcoterrorism 70% venezuela 70% united states 60% donald trump 50% federal charges 50% interim president 40%

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Al Jazeera
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