Nicolás Maduro is jailed awaiting trial for ‘narcoterrorism’, but the acting Venezuelan president insists he’s the ‘legitimate president’

As reported by The Hill, Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez is sticking by Nicolás Maduro, insisting he is still the country’s “legitimate president” even though he is currently jailed in New York awaiting trial. This is a wild situation, and you’d think the person stepping in to lead the country during a transition would distance themselves, but Rodríguez is doubling down on Maduro’s innocence.

Rodríguez spoke publicly about the situation, making it absolutely clear where she stands regarding the charges brought by the Trump administration. She strongly defended both the former regime leader and his wife. “Yes, I can tell you that President Nicolás Maduro is the legitimate president. I can, I will tell you this as the lawyer that I am. They are both, President Maduro and Cilia Flores, the first lady, are both innocent,” Rodríguez stated.

Maduro is facing incredibly serious charges, including narcoterrorism, drug trafficking, and widespread corruption after years leading Venezuela. The fact that this involves “narcoterrorism” means the Department of Justice is treating this as a high-level threat mixing political power with massive criminal enterprise. Maduro is currently being held in New York and is awaiting his day before a judge.

While the DOJ is reportedly pressuring him to admit responsibility for the years of drug trafficking operations across the Latin American nation, the regime leader has pleaded not guilty to every single charge

For years, Maduro was at the very top of Venezuelan government operations, and these charges reflect a pattern of alleged illegal activity that runs deep through the Latin American political structure. We know that officials across both Venezuela and Bolivia have been implicated in transporting illegal narcotics internationally. This large operation is often referred to as the Cartel of the Suns, which allegedly involves high-ranking political figures.

Specifically, Maduro is accused of providing military-grade weaponry to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, and coordinating major drug routes with various criminal groups operating in Honduras. That sounds awful for the stability of the entire region.

While Maduro fights his legal battle from a jail cell, Rodríguez is handling the transitional period back home. She’s leading the country while the Trump administration works to secure access to Venezuela’s oil-rich territory. This is where the story gets really interesting from a global perspective. President Trump’s administration isn’t just focused on the legal case; they are looking toward the future of Venezuelan resources.

The United States has made it clear that establishing a working relationship during this transition is a priority, especially given the energy potential. Energy Secretary Chris Wright mentioned that he’s been communicating with Delcy for five weeks now, and the results are already impressive. He told an interviewer that the cooperation has been “amazing.” Wright was very complimentary of the acting president’s performance, noting that she’s delivered vital information.

“Everything we know so far has turned out to be true. She’s made enormous positive changes, including already changing the hydrocarbon law in the country in the first few weeks. So, I would say that cooperation is off to a tremendous start,” Wright added.