Azernews.Az

Akbar Novruz

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The son of ousted Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro has said his father is “well” while imprisoned in the United States, where he faces trial on drug trafficking charges, Azernews reports.

Nicolás Maduro Guerra, widely known as “Nicolasito,” cited a message from his father relayed through lawyers in a video published on January 10 by a party official. Quoting his father, Maduro Guerra said:

“The lawyers have told us he is strong. He said we should not be sad, that ‘we are well, we are fighters.’”

He added that Maduro had “resisted all attempts to defeat him, even in the face of disproportionate force, but they did not succeed. He is strong.”

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured during a major US military and law‑enforcement operation in Venezuela on January 3, 2026, officials said. The mission, code‑named Operation Absolute Resolve, involved coordinated strikes, deployment of special forces, and the disabling of Venezuelan air‑defence systems in and around Caracas. The couple was flown to the United States to face federal charges, including drug trafficking and narco‑terrorism.

US President Donald Trump announced the operation’s success, calling it a necessary step to confront alleged criminal conduct in Venezuela and asserting that the US would oversee a political transition. Trump also suggested that American oil companies could invest in repairing the country’s energy infrastructure.

The raid was violent: Pentagon officials confirmed several US personnel were injured, though none fatally, while independent reports indicated dozens of Venezuelan and allied casualties.

International reactions were sharply divided. The United Nations and other global leaders raised concerns about the legality of the operation and its potential impact on regional stability, warning that it may violate international law and Venezuelan sovereignty.

Maduro has pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan federal court, rejecting US jurisdiction and insisting he remains Venezuela’s legitimate president.