Maduro says 'I am still president' after not guilty plea—will interim leader stay?

"I am still president" ; Nicolas Maduro claims that he is still Venezuela’s president after he made his first US court appearance in New York, pleading not guilty to federal charges.

The recent statement came after Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as Venezuela's interim president in a parliamentary session that began with demands for the release from US custody of ousted leader Nicolás Maduro.

The 56-year-old Venezuelan vice president since 2018, Rodríguez, said she was hurt by what she called the "kidnapping" of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were seized by US forces in an overnight raid on Saturday, January 3, 2026.

In a dramatic scene inside a New York courtroom, Maduro had insisted he was still president of Venezuela as he and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty to four charges of drug trafficking and terrorism.

As reported by Al Jazeera, Maduro has been accused of narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.

During the Monday, January 5, 2026, afternoon court appearance, a member of the public began to yell in Spanish at Maduro that he would "pay" for what he had done.

Maduro turned to him and replied that he was a "kidnapped president" and a "prisoner of war" before being escorted out in shackles behind his wife through the back court door.

"I'm a decent man. I am still president of my country," Maduro said earlier during the 30-minute hearing.

However, Judge Alvin Hellerstein interrupted to inform Maduro that the decision would require a "time and place to get into all of this."

The US ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, justified the attack by describing Maduro as "an illegitimate so-called president."

Speaking just hours after Saturday's attack, which saw over 150 aircraft and 200 US personnel enter Venezuela, US President Donald Trump vowed the US would "run" Venezuela until "a safe and proper and judicious transition" was possible.

US Speaker of the House Mike Johnson denied the US was carrying out regime change, saying it was "a demand for a change of behavior by a regime."

Describing the operation as "decisive and justified," he said the US had "always maintained the right to use force to defend our national interest, to preserve the safety of the American people, and to prevent ongoing threats to its security."

But despite the US president's claims, Maduro's allies remain in charge.

In comments made to the US magazine The Atlantic on Sunday once it became clear Rodríguez would be sworn in, Trump warned she could "pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro" if she "doesn't do what's right."

During a cabinet meeting, Rodríguez indicated her government would engage in some cooperation with the US, saying, "We invite the US government to collaborate with us on an agenda of cooperation oriented towards shared development within the framework of international law."

Speaking after taking her oath, Rodríguez told the National Assembly she did so "with pain" because of the suffering caused by "illegitimate military aggression."

She vowed to guarantee the peace of the country, "the spiritual tranquillity of our people, the economic and social tranquillity of our people."

Additionally, thousands of Venezuelans gathered outside the Federal Legislative Palace to show support for Maduro, his wife and the interim president, Rodríguez, as she was sworn in.

While the next court hearing in Maduro's case has been scheduled for March 17, 2026.