Opinions are divided: In addition to critical protests on US streets, there were also celebrations by exiled Venezuelans celebrating Maduro’s removal from power.Image: keystone
After US soldiers kidnapped Venezuela’s dictator Nicolas Maduro, things happened in quick succession – here is an overview of the most important events of the night.
01/04/2026, 08:2001/04/2026, 08:25
USA parades Maduro in New York
After the kidnapping of Nicolás Maduro, the US brought the Venezuelan dictator to New York, where he will be tried. On Sunday night (Swiss time) the Americans publicly paraded Maduro. A video shows Maduro being led through a corridor, flanked by officers from the anti-drug agency DEA. Maduro greets people outside the camera image with “Goodnight” and “Happy New Year”.
According to US media reports, Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are in a detention center in New York. Maduro is accused of, among other things, “conspiracy to commit drug terrorism” and “conspiracy to import cocaine.” According to US media, Maduro is expected to appear in court shortly.
Maduro’s deputy Rodríguez takes power
While Maduro has arrived in New York, his previous vice president Delcy Rodríguez has taken over the government in Venezuela. This following a decision by the Supreme Court of Venezuela. In principle, the constitution of Venezuela provides for this step.
Delcy Rodríguez doesn’t want to give in for the time being.Image: keystone
US President Donald Trump had previously declared that the US wanted to temporarily take power in the South American country. Rodríguez, one of Maduro’s closest confidants, is ready to cooperate.
Rodríguez clearly denied this willingness, at least publicly. “There is only one president in this country and his name is Nicolás Maduro Moros,” she said, surrounded by ministers and military officials at a meeting of the National Defense Council.
Trump had also stated that the USA wanted to take over the government of Venezuela for “a while”. How this will be implemented is just as unclear as what will happen if the current regime does not give in. Trump had at least stated that the US would not shy away from stationing ground troops in Venezuela.
Macron calls for a transitional government under González
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron has clearly spoken out in favor of an interim president: Edmundo González, who fled abroad after the elections a year and a half ago. “We hope that President Edmundo González Urrutia, elected in 2024, can ensure this transition quickly.” The transition must be “peaceful, democratic and with respect for the will of the Venezuelan people,” said Macron.
Gonzalez was the opposition’s alternative candidate in the election because its leader, now Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, was not allowed to run in the elections by the Maduro regime.
Edmundo González at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo.Image: keystone
Machado had now demanded that González become the new president. Donald Trump didn’t even mention González at his media conference – he denied Machado’s suitability for the presidency because she didn’t have enough support among the population.
Maria Corina Machado is the figurehead of the Venezuelan opposition.Image: keystone
Protests in the USA – and also celebrations
In the USA, criticism of the intervention of its own military in Latin America is becoming louder. People took to the streets in several cities to demand not to interfere in Venezuela. Protests took place in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Washington, DC, among others.
The banners read, among other things, “No blood for oil” and “Hands off Latin America.” Trump’s interventionism was also denounced. For example, posters read “Trump is a war criminal” or “No US war against Venezuela.” During the election campaign, Trump campaigned to stop interfering in conflicts abroad and not to start new wars.
Protesters in San Francisco.Image: keystone
But at the same time there were also gatherings of people celebrating the US actions in Venezuela. These include many Venezuelans in exile who were happy about the fall of the dictator Maduro, who was hated by large parts of the population. Dozens of Venezuelans also gathered near the detention center in New York’s Brooklyn borough where Maduro will initially be held, often with the flag of their home country, as photos showed.
People celebrate Maduro’s arrest in front of the prison in New York. where he is being held.Image: keystone
China strongly condemns attack
In addition to the expressions of opinion on the street, there are also several new statements at the political level. Several heads of state from major powers have commented on the US approach.
China strongly condemned the intervention. “China is deeply shocked by the blatant use of force by the USA against a sovereign state and its president and condemns it in the strongest possible terms,” the state news agency Xinhua quoted a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying. “Such hegemonic actions by the USA seriously violate international law and the sovereignty of Venezuela and threaten peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean,” the spokesman was quoted as saying. China firmly rejects this. Like Russia, the country is one of Venezuela’s allies
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer have also commented on the latest escalation – and expressed cautious approval.
Britain has long supported a change of power in Venezuela, Starmer wrote. They will consult with the US in the coming days “as we seek a safe and peaceful transition to a legitimate government that reflects the will of the Venezuelan people.”
Merz had previously stated that Maduro had led his country to ruin. From a legal perspective, Merz did not want to evaluate the Trump administration’s actions. “The legal classification of the US mission is complex. We’ll take our time to do that.” There are significant doubts as to whether the attack complied with international law.
With material from the news agencies SDA and DPA.