Page 7 - Venezuela

Maduro's case revives debate on foreign leader immunity in Noriega trial

When deposed Venezuelan leader Nicols Maduro makes his first appearance in a New York courtroom Monday to face US drug charges, he will likely follow the path taken by another Latin American strongman toppled by US forces: Panama's Manuel Noriega. Maduro was captured Saturday, 36 years to the day after Noriega was removed by American forces. And as was the case with the Panamanian leader, lawyers for Maduro are expected to contest the legality of his arrest, arguing that he is immune from prosecution as a sovereign head of foreign state, which is a bedrock principle of international and US law. It's an argument that is unlikely to succeed and was largely settled as a matter of law in Noriega's trial, legal experts said. Although Trump's ordering of the operation in Venezuela raises constitutional concerns because it wasn't authorised by Congress, now that Maduro is in the US, courts will likely bless his prosecution because, like Noriega, the US doesn't recognise him as Venezuela's .

Rubio's U-turn on US running Venezuela stance: 'Trump retains optionality'

He added that current measures, including an oil quarantine and large naval deployments, are aimed at pressuring the Venezuelan regime

Trepidation and uncertainty grip Venezuela after US captures Maduro

An anxious quiet fell over Venezuela's capital on Sunday as trepidation mixed with joy while a nation waited to see what comes next. People were slow to resume routines in Caracas after President Nicols Maduro was deposed and captured in a dramatic US military operation. Dozens of stores, restaurants and churches remained closed. Those on the streets looked shell-shocked, staring at their phones or into the distance. People are still shaken, said 77-year-old David Leal, who arrived to work as a parking attendant but realised he likely would not have customers. He pointed to the deserted street, a few blocks from Venezuela's presidential palace, which was guarded by armed civilians and military personnel. 'May God give us strength' ---------------------------- Venezuela is no stranger to political tumult, but the the dead-of-night US military operation early Saturday marked a new chapter with no ready script. US President Donald Trump initially said the US would run the country un

US intervention in Venezuela tests Trump's ability to keep GOP together

President Donald Trump's military intervention in Venezuela will pose a fresh test of his ability to hold together a restive Republican coalition during a challenging election year. While most Republicans lined up behind the president in the immediate aftermath of the stunning US mission to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and bring him to the United States to face criminal charges, there were signs of unease across the spectrum within the party. In particular, Trump's comments about the US positioning itself to run Venezuela have raised concerns that he is abandoning the America First philosophy that has long distinguished him from more traditional Republicans and helped fuel his political rise. This is the same Washington playbook that we are so sick and tired of that doesn't serve the American people, but actually serves the big corporations, the banks and the oil executives, outgoing GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a former Trump ally, told NBC's Meet the Pre

Venezuela's V-P could face fate worse than Maduro if she defies US: Trump

US President Donald Trump told The Atlantic on Sunday in a telephone interview that Delcy Rodrguez, Venezuela's vice president, could pay a very big price if she doesn't do what he thinks is right for the South American country. That contrasted with the Republican president's comments about Rodrguez on Saturday when he said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had spoken with her and that she was willing to do what the US thinks is needed to improve the standard of living in Venezuela. But Rodrguez has criticised Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro's removal from the country and has demanded that the US return him. Trump told the magazine that if she doesn't do what's right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro. The president told the New York Post in an interview Saturday that the US wouldn't need to station troops in Venezuela if she does what we want.

Venezuela tension unlikely to have big impact on India trade: Experts

US action in Venezuela may lift oil prices briefly, but officials say India's energy supplies and trade face minimal risk given limited exposure and reduced crude imports

US forces seize Venezuela's Maduro, fly him to New York to face charges

President Trump said that no American troops had been killed and that no military equipment had been lost during the operation

Venezuela attack may put pressure on FPI flows, impact on equities limited

The US strike on Venezuela may cause short-term jitters in Indian markets, but trade deal uncertainty, FPI flows and geopolitics remain the bigger overhang

India voices concern over US action in Venezuela, calls for peace talks

India on Sunday voiced "deep concern" over the US' capture of Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in a military operation and called for a peaceful resolution of the issues to ensure stability in the region. In its first reaction to the unprecedented American action in Venezuelan capital Caracas early on Saturday, New Delhi also reaffirmed its support for the well-being of the people of the oil-rich South American country and said it is closely monitoring the unfolding developments. The United States brought Maduro and his wife, Lady Cilia Flores, to New York to face drug trafficking-related charges. Venezuela, denouncing the US action, has announced a state of national emergency. "Recent developments in Venezuela are a matter of deep concern. We are closely monitoring the evolving situation," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. "India reaffirms its support to the well-being and safety of the people of Venezuela," it added. New Delhi also called upon "all ..

Export to Venezuela less than 1% of total exports, says Bajaj Auto

Bajaj Auto on Sunday said its exports to Venezuela accounts for less than 1 per cent of its total overseas shipments. The South American country has plunged into a crisis after the US captured its President, Nicolas Maduro, on Saturday. "We do export to Venezuela. Pulsar and Boxer are very popular, but these exports are less than 1 per cent of our total exports," Rakesh Shamra, Executive Director, Bajaj Auto, said. He was responding to a query about the implications on its operations in the country following the capture of Maduro by the US. In the April-December period of FY26, Bajaj Auto's total exports stood at 16,39,971 units as against 13,73,595 units in the year-ago period, up 19 per cent. Another Indian automaker, TVS Motor Company, said it has no meaningful presence in Venezuela.

US-Venezuela conflict unlikely to affect India trade: GTRI report

The US-Venezuela conflict will have a negligible impact on India's trade with the South American country, think tank GTRI said on Sunday. On January 4, American forces carried out a large military operation in Venezuela, capturing President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and taking them to the US to face various charges, including narco-terrorism and drug trafficking. "India faces negligible impact, as trade with Venezuela has collapsed under sanctions, with crude imports down 81.3 per cent in FY2025 and overall bilateral trade remaining marginal," the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) Founder Ajay Srivastava said. For India, he said, the Venezuelan disturbance is unlikely to have any material economic or energy impact. Although India was a major buyer of Venezuelan crude in the 2000s and 2010s, bilateral engagement has weakened sharply since 2019 due to US sanctions, which forced India to cut oil imports and scale back commercial activity to avoid secondary sanctions, he added.

How US' military operation in Venezuela could impact oil supply chains

US forces have captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, an intervention that is raising urgent questions about its implications for oil production, prices, exports and global supply chains

China asks US to release Venezuelan President Maduro, his wife at once

China on Sunday called on the United States to release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife at once and resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation. China expresses grave concern over the US forcibly seizing President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and taking them out of the country, a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement here said. The move is in clear violation of international law, basic norms in international relations, and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, it said. China calls on the US to ensure the personal safety of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, release them at once, stop toppling the government of Venezuela, and resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation," it added. The ministry earlier on Saturday condemned the US airstrikes on Venezuela and the capture of Maduro and his wife, describing it as a hegemonic act that seriously violates international law. China is deeply shocked by and strongly condemns the US' blatant use of force again

'US control of Venezuelan oil may unlock $1 bn stuck dues for India'

A US-led takeover or restructuring of Venezuela's oil sector could deliver a direct benefit to India, potentially unlocking close to USD 1 billion in long-pending dues while accelerating the revival of crude production from fields it operates in the sanctions-hit Latin American nation, analysts and industry sources said. India was once a major processor of Venezuelan heavy crude, importing more than 4,00,000 barrels per day at peak levels, until sweeping US sanctions and rising compliance risks forcibly shut down purchases in 2020. Its flagship overseas producer, ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL), jointly operates the San Cristobal oilfield in eastern Venezuela, but output has been severely curtailed as US restrictions blocked access to critical technology, equipment, and services - leaving commercially viable reserves effectively stranded. Venezuela has failed to pay OVL USD 536 million in dividends due on its 40 per cent stake in the field up to 2014, and a near-equivalent amount for the ...

Why Venezuela's oil sector offers no quick payoff for US companies

Any companies that might want to invest there would need to deal with security concerns, dilapidated infrastructure, questions about the legality of the US operation to snatch Maduro

How cocaine, corruption led to indictment of Venezuelan President Maduro

A newly unsealed US Justice Department indictment accuses captured Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro of running a corrupt, illegitimate government fuelled by an extensive drug-trafficking operation that flooded the US with thousands of tons of cocaine. The arrest of Maduro and his wife in a stunning military operation early Saturday in Venezuela sets the stage for a major test for US prosecutors as they seek to secure a conviction in a Manhattan courtroom against the longtime leader of the oil-rich South American nation. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a post on X that Maduro and his wife will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts. Here's a look at the accusations against Maduro and the charges he faces. Maduro faces drugs and weapons charges --------------------------------------------- Maduro is charged alongside his wife, his son and three others. Maduro is indicted on four counts: narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation .

Musk's Starlink to offer free internet services in Venezuela through Feb 3

The announcement coincided with dramatic scenes involving deposed Dictator Nicolas Maduro following his removal by the United States

Captured Maduro made to perp-walk in custody, he says 'Happy New Year'

The US government releases a video of Venezuela's detained President Nicolas Maduro in handcuffs, as he is moved to New York to face charges

Who is Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela's acting leader after Maduro's capture?

A long-time chavista, technocrat and trusted Maduro loyalist, Delcy Rodríguez has assumed Venezuela's presidential duties amid deep uncertainty after a US military operation

World leaders react to US operation in Venezuela, call for de-escalation

European Union President Ursula von der Leyen emphasised respect for international law and the UN Charter, while EU High Representative Kaja Kallas ensures EU citizens' safety