On Thursday, March 26th, just prior to the second hearing in the Southern District Court of New York against the President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, and the First Lady, Cilia Flores, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, made unfounded accusatory statements, demonstrating a clear interference in a legal process that is already being described as unfounded and illegitimate by the Venezuelan president’s defense.
Trump told reporters, “He’s a dangerous man who has killed a lot of people. He sent people to our country. He emptied the prisons in Venezuela to send them to our country. I hope he’s brought to justice. He emptied their prisons so they would come to our country. He was one of the main suppliers of the drugs that come into our country.”
These words, uttered without any supporting evidence, are an attempt to publicly influence the development of a case stemming from a violent and illegal military operation.
The US President’s accusations come in the context of a legal process that began after the forced kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and Congresswoman Cilia Flores. On January 3, 2016, US Navy SEALs and aircraft entered Venezuelan territory, causing more than 100 deaths, according to official Venezuelan government figures. During this operation, which included intense bombing of the Venezuelan capital, Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores were forcibly taken to US territory, and both were wounded.
Since their initial court appearance on January 5, 2026, the Venezuelan presidential couple have remained in solitary confinement at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. The defense has argued that the process is illegitimate from the outset, filing an urgent motion to dismiss all charges just six days before this hearing.
Donald Trump’s statements not only lack evidence, but also underscore the political motivation behind a trial that is part of a strategy of ongoing aggression against Venezuela.
This act of presidential interference in a judicial branch outside his jurisdiction highlights how Washington seeks to manipulate public opinion and the legal system against leaders of sovereign nations, contravening fundamental principles of international law.
Protests in New York and Across the World
From the early hours of Thursday, social movements across the U.S. gathered in front of the Southern District Court of New York in Manhattan to express their support for President Maduro and his wife, First Lady and Congresswoman Cilia Flores.
Waving flags and banners denouncing the kidnapping of the Venezuelan presidential couple, the protesters proclaimed them prisoners of war, forcibly removed from Venezuela following the criminal aggression perpetrated by U.S. military forces on January 3, which left more than one hundred dead. Those gathered near the courthouse demanded that the detainees’ immunity be respected.
A large demonstration is taking place in Plaza Bolívar in Caracas, where thousands of people have gathered to closely follow the proceedings of the second court hearing. In calling for the vigil, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) declared that it was “an important day for the nation, as love and patriotism will demonstrate the innocence of our leaders.”
A similar gathering took place in the 23 de Enero parish, where the Mountain Barracks are located and where the mortal remains of Commander Hugo Chávez lie.
Solidarity was evident in other nations, based on one certainty: The people do not surrender, the people fight! Colombian social movements and organizations held support rallies in Cúcuta, Barranquilla, Antioquia, and Cartagena. There were also events in Guatemala and Cuba.
In recent hours, expressions of solidarity were also received in Caracas from Egypt, Zimbabwe, Benin, and South Africa, while friendly groups from Belarus, France, and Russia made it known that Venezuela is not alone. This conviction prompted expressions of solidarity.
IMAGE CREDIT: Trump’s words, uttered without providing any evidence, seek to publicly influence the development of a case that originated in a violent and illegal military operation. Photo: EFE
[ SOURCE: teleSUR ]
