Maduro Guerra expressed strong objections to being implicated in the New York legal case against his parents, where he was identified as a co-conspirator.

“If we allow the abduction of a nation’s leader to become commonplace, no country will be secure,” Guerra asserted.

“Venezuela is the target today. Tomorrow, it could be any other country unwilling to comply with external pressure,” he continued.

“This situation transcends regional concerns; it poses a significant threat to the stability of international politics.”

Amidst these developments, Delcy Rodríguez was inaugurated as Venezuela’s new interim president, stepping in for the detained leader.

Rodriguez has demanded that the US return Maduro, who long denied any involvement in drug trafficking — although late on Sunday she also struck a more conciliatory tone in a social media post, inviting collaboration with Trump and “respectful relations” with the US.

Maduro’s lawyers are expected to contest the legality of his arrest, arguing that he is immune from prosecution as a sovereign head of state.

Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriegaun successfully tried the same defence after the US captured him in a similar military invasion in 1990. But the US doesn’t recognise Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate head of state — particularly after a much-disputed 2024 reelection.