U.S. In Venezuela, Future Of Venezuela, Maduro In NYC Court

Summary

Up First (NPR) – Episode Summary

Date: January 5, 2026
Main Theme:
This episode covers the seismic shift in Venezuela following a surprise U.S. intervention that resulted in the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro, now facing American drug and terrorism charges in a New York court. The episode explores the U.S.’s evolving strategy for managing Venezuela without direct occupation, the repositioning of Venezuelan leadership under Delsey Rodriguez, and the significant legal and geopolitical questions raised by this unprecedented move.

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Key Stories & Insights

1. “The United States is in charge of Venezuela” – U.S. Shifts Strategy

• [00:02] President Trump declared that “the United States is in charge of Venezuela,” after a lightning raid removed Maduro from power.
• [02:06] Trump emphasized the U.S.’s dominance:

  “It means we're in charge. Okay.” – Trump, via Steve Inskeep

• [02:28] Greg Myre explains the ambiguous nature of U.S. control, noting:
  • U.S. forces were present on the ground for less than three hours.
  • No U.S. troops remain in Venezuela.
  • The U.S. embassy has been closed since 2019.
  • A military presence persists in the Caribbean; further action is threatened.
  • The administration appears disinterested in full-scale occupation, implying an attempt to “run the place from afar.”

  “If Trump and his team are simply trying to run the place from afar, they may have limited influence.” – Greg Myre [03:11]

• [03:18] Secretary of State Marco Rubio states the U.S. goal is to “shape policies in Venezuela,” with leverage via oil sanctions and pressure on the interim government.

2. Delsey Rodriguez: Intern President Amidst Threats and Shifts

• [04:04] Delsey Rodriguez, Maduro’s former VP, has assumed the role of interim president.
  • Trump warned:

    "If she doesn't do what's right, she's going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro." – Trump in The Atlantic interview, relayed by Greg Myre [04:11]

  • Trump to reporters:

    “If they don't behave, we will do a second strike.” – Trump, via Steve Inskeep [04:38]

  • Rodriguez pivots from defiance to calls for dialogue:

    “Our people, our region deserve peace and dialogue, not war, and she's willing to cooperate.” – Carrie Kahn reporting Rodriguez’s statement [06:27]

  • Rodriguez’s connections and credentials:
    • Vice president for 7+ years.
    • Stabilized the economy post-hyperinflation.
    • Oversees the oil industry and intelligence service.
    • Close ties to military and political insiders.
  • Uncertainty remains over her long-term loyalty and durability as U.S. pressures mount.
• [05:56–06:17] The U.S. proposes a “colonial model”: Not installing a new government or supporting opposition leaders (e.g., Maria Corina Machado), but instead instructing the existing socialist administration.
  • Maria Corina Machado, despite previous U.S. and international support, is sidelined.

3. Reactions Within Venezuela

• [08:58] Venezuelan citizens are anxious:
  • Food lines continue; support rallies for Maduro.
  • Teacher Rodolfo Ramirez denounces foreign intervention:

    “Trump, don't come here and rob us. Get your head out of the clouds… if Trump comes for Venezuela's oil, he'll have to kill us all.” [08:58]

  • Edmundo Gonzalez, believed by many to have legitimately won the 2024 election, calls himself the rightful president and demands the release of political prisoners.

4. Maduro’s Arrest: Legal and Diplomatic Fallout

• [09:52] Maduro and his wife Celia Flores are in Brooklyn jail, facing charges for narco-terrorism, drug conspiracy, and weapons offenses.
• [10:10] Details from justice correspondent Kerry Johnson:
  • Maduro charged with four felonies, including conspiracy to import tons of cocaine.
  • Wife Celia Flores, former Attorney General, also indicted.
  • A $50 million reward had been offered for Maduro’s capture.
  • Attorney General Pam Bondi states:

    “…they will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.” [11:02]

• [11:13] Operation “Absolute Resolve”: U.S. claims legal basis as law enforcement, not invasion. Operation involved FBI and military for security.
• [11:56] Reliance on a controversial Justice Department memo (Barr, 1989), previously used in the Noriega case:

  “The memo paved the way for American law enforcement to make arrests in other countries, even if those actions might violate international law.” – Kerry Johnson [11:56]

• [12:29]–[13:16] Legal hurdles and defense strategies:
  • Maduro could claim head-of-state immunity; success is unlikely.
  • U.S. courts have Supreme Court precedent upholding jurisdiction regardless of capture methods.
  • Courts generally defer to the executive on national security, making challenges from Maduro difficult.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If she doesn't do what's right, she's going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro.”
  – President Trump (via Greg Myre), [04:11]

• “If they don't behave, we will do a second strike.”
  – President Trump, [04:38]

• “Trump, don't come here and rob us. Get your head out of the clouds… if Trump comes for Venezuela's oil, he'll have to kill us all.”
  – Rodolfo Ramirez, Venezuelan teacher, [08:58]

• “The memo paved the way for American law enforcement to make arrests in other countries, even if those actions might violate international law.”
  – Kerry Johnson, [11:56]

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Key Timestamps for Segments

• 00:02 – Trump declares U.S. control of Venezuela
• 02:28 – Greg Myre outlines ambiguity of U.S. strategy
• 03:18 – Marco Rubio frames administration’s policy objectives
• 04:04 – Delsey Rodriguez’s appointment and Washington’s demands
• 06:27–07:08 – Carrie Kahn on Rodriguez’s changing stance and transition of power
• 08:58 – On-the-ground Venezuelan reactions and opposition responses
• 09:52 – Maduro’s arrest and arrival in New York
• 10:10–11:02 – Charges explained against Maduro and Flores
• 11:13–13:16 – Legal justifications, international precedent, and courtroom expectations

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Tone & Takeaway

The episode blends factual reporting with the intense uncertainty and drama of a fast-moving international crisis. Trump’s muscular rhetoric, Venezuelan pride and fear, the legal murk of capturing a foreign president, and the echoes of previous U.S. interventions (Panama, Iraq, Libya) paint a picture of tremendous risk, global scrutiny, and a Venezuela teetering between old forms of control and new chaos.

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This summary provides a comprehensive breakdown of NPR’s coverage, focusing on essential facts, analysis, and the tense, sometimes extraordinary conversations behind the headlines.

Transcript

[Steve Inskeep]

President Trump declares the United States is in charge of Venezuela.

[Amy Martinez]

Trump also warned Venezuela's new leadership to fall in line.

[Steve Inskeep]

If they don't behave, we will do a second strike.

[Amy Martinez]

How does the White House plan to run the country without troops on the ground?

[Steve Inskeep]

I'm Steve Inskeep with a Martinez and this is up first from NPR News. After making defiant remarks against the United States, Venezuela's acting leader is now bowing to US Threats. Nicolas Maduro's former vice president, Del C. Rodriguez, is extending an invitation of cooperation. How far is she actually willing to go?

[Amy Martinez]

And Maduro is due in a New York courtroom today. He's facing drug, weapon and narco terrorism charges. Can the US Legally try a foreign leader seized overseas? Stay with us. We've got all the news you need to start your day.

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[Greg Myre]

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[Amy Martinez]

On Air Force One, on Sunday, President Trump was asked, who's in charge of Venezuela.

[Carrie Kahn]

Don't ask me who's in charge because.

[Steve Inskeep]

I'll give you an answer and it'll be very controversial.

[Kerry Johnson]

What does that mean?

[Steve Inskeep]

It means we're in charge. Okay. We still don't know what that means. Federal authorities bring President Nicolas Maduro into court in the United States today. The US has otherwise left the Venezuelan government in place, expecting it to obey orders.

[Amy Martinez]

For more, we're joined by NPR national security correspondent Greg Myri. So, Greg, what does it mean for President Trump to be in charge of Venezuela?

[Greg Myre]

Well, it's absolutely not clear. The US Forces that seized Maduro dashed in and out of the country in less than three hours before dawn on Saturday morning. There are no US troops there now. Also, the US embassy in Venezuela was shut down back in 2019, so there's no US diplomatic presence. The large US military contingent is still nearby. Many are on ships in the Caribbean. And Trump says he's prepared for further military action if he feels it's needed. But the President doesn't appear to want a full scale, open ended US Military occupation. So if Trump and his team are simply trying to run the place from afar, they may have limited influence.

[Amy Martinez]

Now, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was on a lot of TV shows yesterday. How did he frame what the administration plans to do?

[Greg Myre]

Well, a little bit differently than Trump. Rubio said the U.S. goal is to shape policies in Venezuela. The U.S. would be assessing what steps the government there takes. He cited issues like stopping drug trafficking and migration in a country where millions have fled in recent years, many heading to the US Now. He noted the US Is still blocking oil tankers on a US Sanctions list from coming to or leaving from Venezuela. And this gives the US Huge leverage over the country's most valuable resource. Trump also wants US Oil companies to make billion dollar investments to upgrade that oil industry. But we'll have to see how eager these oil companies might be to go into a country and make a big commitment when it's the place is in such an uncertain state.

[Amy Martinez]

Del C. Rodriguez was Venezuela's vice president. She's now become the interim president. How does she fit into all this?

[Greg Myre]

Yeah. So Trump seems to be setting the terms of how he'll cooperate with her and the government that sort of left in place in Venezuela. Trump gave an interview to the Atlantic magazine on Sunday. And speaking of Rodriguez, he said, quote, if she doesn't do what's right, she's going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro. And speaking to reporters on Air, Air Force One, Trump repeated his threat of more military action in Venezuela.

[Steve Inskeep]

If they don't behave, we will do a second strike.

[Greg Myre]

That may be a bit hard to hear. He's saying if they don't behave, we will do a second strike. And Maduro's top aides, his loyalists, and the military and security forces remain in place. And they simply may not adopt the policies that Trump would like to see now.

[Amy Martinez]

Trump has long been opposed to getting involved in foreign entanglements, especially longstanding ones. So how does all that fit into what, what he has said in the past?

[Greg Myre]

So this is very much at odds with one of Trump's more consistent positions over the years. No foreign wars. But now he's talking about his own updated version of the Monroe Doctrine, first stated by president James Monroe 200 years ago. It's been interpreted variously by different presidents, but it's come to mean the US should play the dominant role in this hemisphere. We should also note some more recent history when the US has ousted or helped oust notorious leaders of oil rich countries such Saddam Hussein in Iraq and Muammar Gaddafi in Libya. In both cases, the US Believed oil would lead to a swift rebuilding of those countries, but what followed was chaos.

[Amy Martinez]

That's NPR's Greg Myre. Greg, thanks.

[Greg Myre]

Sure thing, eh?

[Amy Martinez]

As described by US Officials, the concept for Venezuela is an old style colonial model.

[Steve Inskeep]

The United States does not propose to install a new government. In fact, it has brushed aside the opposition candidate that the United States itself says won the 2024 election. Maria Karina Machado, the recipient of the Nobel Prize, is also left out. Instead, the US Proposes to give orders to the current socialist government on whatever issues the U.S. cares about.

[Amy Martinez]

NPR's Carrie Kahn is in Colombia. So, Kerry, Delsey Rodriguez, Nicolas Maduro's vice president, she's now the interim president. She's going to take orders from the.

[Carrie Kahn]

U.S. she at least seems to have changed her tone after President Trump threatened her with a worse fate than Maduro. You heard that in her statement out late yesterday, Rodriguez addressed President Trump directly. She said our people, our region deserve peace and dialogue, not war, and she's willing to cooperate. That's just quite a swift turnaround from her very defiant show Saturday, calling the US Action a barbarity and demanding Maduro's return. It's also clear that, as you said, she is now called Venezuela's leader. She was sworn into office Saturday, or as the state media in Venezuela is calling it, she was ordered to assume the presidency and that was by the regime's loyalist Supreme Court.

[Amy Martinez]

Now, Kerry, you've talked with Maria Corina Machado that the opposition leader who used to have the United States support is the US Accepting the socialist government in Venezuela as legitimate.

[Carrie Kahn]

Now, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was asked that on his media appearances yesterday. He just brushed off legitimacy questions and said for now, the US Just has to work with those still in Venezuela since leading opponents aren't in the country. And Rubio said he's sure that those that are still there will follow US demands. After watching the military remove Madonna Maduro, here's Rubio on NBC's Meet the Press.

[Marco Rubio]

It had to be done and it's been done. And I assure you, the people left behind in Venezuela now that are in charge of the police and everything else, I assure you they're going to probably be a lot more compliant than Maduro was as a result of this.

[Carrie Kahn]

And we also heard some more details about Saturday's US invasion that were interesting. The Cuban government announced that 32 of its citizens, including military personnel, were killed during the US Operation and they were actively engaging US Forces. It's been long believed that Cuba, Cuba close and vital allies, was sending soldiers and intelligence agents and even providing security for Maduro. So that was stunning yesterday.

[Amy Martinez]

Carrie, tell us a little bit more about Delsey Rodriguez.

[Carrie Kahn]

Sure. She's been the vice president for more than seven years. She's credited with stabilizing the economy after just turmoil and years of hyperinflation. She has two main roles and one has been overseeing the oil industry. She also oversees the regime's greatly feared intelligence service. So she has good relations with the military. Her brother is the head of the National Assembly. So she's definitely an insider. With this long hardline resume, it's unclear how those relationships are going to hold up when she's seen to be helping the US Government.

[Amy Martinez]

Now, it's only been a few days, but how are Venezuelans dealing with all this?

[Carrie Kahn]

There are still long lines being formed in some stores stocking up. The government held a rally in support of Maduro yesterday. It did fill a few blocks. Here's 64 year old Rodolfo Ramirez. He's a high school teacher. He said he came out to tell Trump Venezuelans will defend their country. Trump, don't come here and rob us. Get your head out of the clouds, he said. And he warned that if Trump comes for Venezuela's oil, he'll have to kill us all. He said he's not getting a single drop. And in another development last night, the man widely believed to have won the last presidential election in 2024, Edmundo Gonzalez. He put out a video calling himself the president and demanding the release of all political prisoners in Venezuela.

[Amy Martinez]

That's NPR's Carrie Khan in Colombia. Kerry, thanks.

[Carrie Kahn]

You're welcome.

[Amy Martinez]

Nicola Maduro and his wife Celia Flores, are starting their day in a Brooklyn jail.

[Steve Inskeep]

Their midday court appearance is to be on drug trafficking and other charges. Their arrest over the weekend in the middle of Venezuela's capitol raises questions about the reach of American law.

[Amy Martinez]

Here's NPR justice correspondent Kerry Johnson. So, Kerry, what are the allegations against Maduro and his family?

[Kerry Johnson]

A grand jury in New York first indicted Maduro back in 2020. Then a new grand jury there added new charges recently and added new defendants, too. Maduro faces four felony charges that includes narco terrorism, conspiracy, conspiracy to import tons of cocaine and possession of machine guns and other destructive devices. US Law enforcement accuses Maduro of sitting at the top of a vast conspiracy basically to line his pockets by overseeing the flow of drugs into the US and helping violent cartels along the way. Maduro's wife, Celia Flores, a former Attorney general of Venezuela, also faces charges the Trump administration had placed a $50 million reward for information leading to the capture of Maduro. And Attorney General Pam Bondi says they will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.

[Amy Martinez]

So let's break down the scale of this whole thing, because the operation, I mean, air, land, sea, middle of the night, inside a foreign capital. I mean, how does a administration justifies such an extraordinary move?

[Kerry Johnson]

The Trump administration has not released any detailed legal analysis or other reasoning to explain the basis for this operation called Absolute Resolve. But Secretary of State Marco Rubio says this was a law enforcement action, not a military invasion. Maduro was arrested by FBI agents and read his rights, Rubio says. Here's more from Rubio on the ABC show this Week with George Stephanopoulos.

[Marco Rubio]

Obviously, this was not a friendly territory, so in order to arrest him, we had to ask the Department of War to become involved in this operation. The Department of War went in, they hit anything that was a threat to the agents that were going in to arrest him, and they hit anything that was a threat on the way out. And that was a very limited and targeted operation.

[Kerry Johnson]

The Trump administration seems to be relying on a controversial Justice Department memo by Bill Barr, who was Attorney General in Trump's first term. That memo was from 1989, and it paved the way for American law enforcement to make arrests in other countries, even if those actions might violate international law. The memo was issued months before the US Captured Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega and sent him to the US to face charges. Noriega fought back and mostly lost, but that legal fight took a lot of years.

[Amy Martinez]

So eventually, Nicolas Maduro is going to make an argument in court. What might that be?

[Kerry Johnson]

Maduro might argue that he should enjoy immunity as a head of state in Venezuela, even though the Trump administration's says he was not elected freely and fairly. Maduro also might try to challenge how the US Captured him, but legal scholars say that could be difficult because there's a lot of Supreme Court precedent saying it doesn't matter how a defendant gets onto American soil once they're here. And then there's one more complication. American courts don't really like to weigh in on sensitive matters related to a president's national security power. So US Courts could be leery about protests from Maduro and others that the administration failed to notify Congress or get any approval before this operation.

[Amy Martinez]

NPR justice correspondent Carrie Johnson Kerry. Thanks.

[Kerry Johnson]

Thank you.

[Amy Martinez]

And that's up first for Monday, January 5th. I'm Amy Martinez.

[Steve Inskeep]

And I'm Steve Inskeep. Consider this up first gives you the three big stories of the day. And our podcast, Consider this takes a different approach, diving into a single big story. Unless you than 15 minutes. Listen now on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Amy Martinez]

Today's episode of up first was edited by Andrew Susman, Tara Neal, Krishnadev Kalimor, Mohamed El Bardisi and HJ Mai. It was produced by Ziat Bach, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Nisha Hyness, and our technical director is Carly Strange. Join us again tomorrow.

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