> At a Glance
> – Nicolás Maduro Guerra addressed Venezuela hours after his father was flown to the US
> – He warned global leaders that “no country is safe” if kidnapping becomes normalized
> – Maduro Guerra faces his own US drug indictment dating back to the Trump era
> – Why it matters: The speech signals continuity of Maduro loyalist resistance from within Venezuela
Nicolás Maduro Guerra, 35, stepped before cameras in Caracas on January 5 to deliver a defiant message three days after US forces seized his father and Cilia Flores from their home and transported them to New York for trial on narco-terrorism charges.
A Son’s Promise
Choking up, Maduro Guerra told the crowd-and, pointedly, his detained father-that “the homeland is in good hands.” He insisted loyalists would “stand firm for whatever we must do for our country” and pledged to keep Venezuela on course.
Key lines from the address:
- “If we normalize the kidnapping of a head of state, no country is safe”
- “Today, it’s Venezuela. Tomorrow, it could be any nation”
- “Count on me, count on my family, count on our firmness”
Legal Clouds at Home and Abroad
While Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan courtroom to four-count indictments covering narco-terrorism conspiracy and machine-gun possession, Maduro Guerra-nicknamed “Nicolasito” and “The Prince”-remains named in a separate, earlier US drug-trafficking case.
| Target | Charges | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Nicolás Maduro | Narco-terrorism, cocaine import, machine-gun conspiracy | Extradited, pleaded not guilty |
| Cilia Flores | Same four counts | Extradited, pleaded not guilty |
| Maduro Guerra | Drug transport, 2014-2017 | Indicted, not in custody |
Timeline of events:
- Jan 3, 2026 – US forces launch “large-scale strikes” and capture Maduro/Flores
- Jan 5, 2026 – Maduro Guerra speaks in Caracas; couple appear in NYC court
- Jan 5, 2026 – President Trump says from Mar-a-Lago that the US will now “run” Venezuela and “get the oil flowing”
Show of Support for New Leader
Maduro Guerra offered “unconditional support” to interim president Delcy Rodríguez, who has served as vice president since 2018. He called her task “very hard” but vowed his family would help “take the right steps at the forefront of this responsibility.”
Key Takeaways
- Maduro Guerra’s speech aims to rally loyalists and project continuity after the surprise US raid
- He framed the capture as a dangerous precedent for any nation defying Washington
- The younger Maduro still faces a US indictment alleging he used state aircraft to ferry cocaine
- President Trump has openly declared US intent to manage Venezuela and its oil sector
With his father detained overseas, Maduro Guerra stepped into the spotlight to insist the movement has not collapsed-setting the stage for a stand-off between US courts and chavista leaders still on Venezuelan soil.
