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Isa Soares Tonight
Delcy Rodriguez Sworn In As New Leader After Maduro's Capture; Maduro Pleads Not Guilty To All Four Counts In U.S. Court; President Trump Warns Acting Venezuelan Leader Will "Pay A Big Price" If She Doesn't Cooperate With The U.S.; Russia Denounces "U.S. Domination By Force"; Trump Threatens Other Countries After Venezuela Strikes. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired January 05, 2026 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:05:00]
ISA SOARES, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: Hello, and a very warm welcome, everyone, I'm Isa Soares. Tonight, we do begin with breaking news. I want
to take you to Caracas. The National Assembly, in fact, where Delcy Rodriguez has just been sworn in as Venezuela's new leader after, of
course, the capture of the former President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. forces.
Wait, if we have audio, I'm just going to ask to -- let's listen to it. So, there you see -- she's there on the left of your screen if you're looking
at your screen right now. She's just been sworn in. Up to applause as National Assembly -- she is now greeting some members of the National
Assembly.
She is, of course, a well known figure of Venezuela. She's seen by some in the U.S., more moderate. But she is a woman who has really played a huge
role, not just only with Nicolas Maduro, but also with Chavez driving the country deeper into autocracy.
She knows both governments, Chavez and Maduro, having served, of course, as Maduro's oil minister and vice president. And she is longstanding,
Chavista. She is the daughter also of a Marxist revolutionary, and she has always and continues to defend Nicolas Maduro, as we've seen in the
previous days.
She has said that Nicolas Maduro is the President, and that she demanded the release of Nicolas Maduro. But she's also faced accusations, repeated
accusations not just from the United States over the years, but also from the U.N. Accusations of drug trafficking, election stealing.
And she's the woman now that President Trump has put in charge. Of course, he has said he will run Venezuela and she will be running Venezuela
alongside two -- or two men who really -- have really painted a picture of a dire Venezuela -- led the charge. They're also known as the henchmen of
Venezuela.
That is the Interior Minister as well as the Defense Minister. But we're looking at live pictures now of Delcy Rodriguez who is now in Caracas, as
you can see there, inside the National Assembly, who has just been sworn in as the -- as the new leader of Venezuela after Nicolas Maduro's capture, of
course.
No doubt one person who will be watching this closely, not just her actions, but also her words, will be President Donald Trump. She -- he
believes she is essentially -- he said she's willing to essentially do what we think is necessary, if you remember, to make Venezuela great again.
So, it will be interesting to see whether she follows through or whether she's prepared to bend the knee here to President Trump, and what this will
mean, of course, to the two henchmen who will be watching her and to the country. Just days ago, and for context, it's important.
Nicolas Maduro, why we're here, ruled Venezuela, but today, he was standing trial for -- taken from Caracas, take you to New York. Standing trial
before a federal judge in New York in shackles and a drab kind of tan jumpsuit. And reverberations from his weekend capture are now being felt
from Caracas to Bogota to Mexico City to Havana in Cuba.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were arraigned just a short time ago. They both entered not guilty pleas. The former Venezuelan president told
the country, I am innocent and I am a decent man.
[14:10:00]
Both are facing federal drug weapons and narco terrorism charges. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for March 17th. Vice President Delcy
Rodriguez, of course, we just showed you is Venezuela's new acting president. That's after U.S. President Trump said that she isn't -- that
the U.S. is in charge of Venezuela.
And he warned very clearly to Miss Rodriguez, if she doesn't do what's right, she's going to pay a very big price. On Saturday, the U.S. forces
captured Maduro and his wife, and really a remarkably brazen as well as violent operation. Sources tell CNN, the couple were sleeping at the time
of the raid and were dragged from their bedroom.
It happened around 1:50 or so A.M. on Saturday, time Caracas. I want to get more now on all of this. I'm joined by CNN anchor and chief legal analyst
Laura Coates, who was inside the courtroom and witnessed the extraordinary scene. And from Miami, Florida, I want to bring in former U.S. state and
former federal and federal prosecutor David Weinstein.
Let me go to you, Laura, if you don't mind. I mean, I heard you earlier today, and you gave an incredibly descriptive description of what you saw
and what happened. That color inside the courtroom. We heard a very defiant Maduro. Give us a sense of what you took away from him.
LAURA COATES, CNN LEGAL ANALYST & ANCHOR: It was an extraordinary moment, Isa, to watch somebody who proclaims to be the president of Venezuela
inside a Manhattan, United States courtroom next to his wife. He was flanked by two attorneys. They had different counsel for each other. He was
-- he was tall. He was self-assured.
He was taking copious notes almost before the first ten minutes expired. He had already taken multiple pages of notes. He spoke in Spanish when he was
addressed by the court, asking if he was in fact Nicolas Maduro Moros. He began instantly, Isa, to talk about his innocence.
He talked about being a prisoner of war, having been captured in his very home. The judge interrupted him and said, there will be plenty of time to
discuss the legality of being removed from your home and any pending motions in international law.
But for now, I just want to know, are you Nicolas Maduro Moros? What you said, Nicolas Maduro Moros, and talked about being innocent and not having
done what he is accused of having done, describes himself as a decent man as well. I will tell you, he had some difficulties when he braced himself,
when the arms of his chair lowering his body and standing up.
If you recall, the so-called perp walk and walking -- watching him walk the helipad and back, he was using with difficulty his left leg, almost a
different gait. It appeared as though we tried to extend his legs with some sort of injury at stake.
The attorneys and defense for his wife described visible injuries on her face, there were bandages above her temple on the side of her face as well.
Some appearance of bruising, also describing severe bruising to her ribs. She also said that she was the first lady of the republic of Venezuela, and
professed her innocence as well.
He said he wanted to have his notes respected, and they both asked for the consulate and consular meetings as well. Interestingly enough, neither
asked for bail, which essentially is the release pending one's trial. They agreed to waive what's called their speedy trial rights.
Part of our constitution here is to have a speedy trial. They have agreed to waive that at least through March 17th, the next court date, to develop
time for the voluminous and complex motions that are sure to come, including their claims of being the heads of state, which means they want
immunity.
We do have the United States -- some precedent where the lawyers for the president back in 1989, had an office of Legal Counsel Memo, which is
instructive but not required to be followed by a judge. It suggests that the White House, the executive branch has the ability to determine who gets
head of state immunity, in short.
So, there's a lot ahead right now. But the next time we'll see Nicolas Maduro and his wife will be March 17th. What transpires in-between might be
quite extraordinary.
SOARES: And Laura, stay with us and David, stay with us just a moment. I want to go to Caracas, Mary is with -- Triny Mena. And Mary, as Laura was
speaking, we could see there, Delcy Rodriguez in -- at the National Assembly. I think if we have those images, I'm going to ask to bring them
up because, of course, she's just been made the new interim president.
Give us a sense, if you've been listening to it, of what we heard or what we saw from the National Assembly here -- the images just outside the
National Assembly. I've actually been there. And I think they are just in the -- in the forecourt. Give us a sense of what we heard today.
MARY TRINY MENA, JOURNALIST: Yes, it is a national broadcast. So many Venezuelans are witnessing the swearing in of Delcy Rodriguez as the
President in charge of Venezuela from now on. She was sworn in by the president of the parliament, which is her brother, Jorge Rodriguez.
[14:15:00]
So, this is marking a new era for Venezuela. These are two people, two of the most influential people in the Maduro government, and they are calling
administrative continuation of the government. But for them, it's a continuity of the government of Nicolas Maduro.
Delcy Rodriguez said some words, saying that she received the title of President of Venezuela with pain and pride, saying that she will work for
the country and she will preserve the mandates that the constitution said. She received the honors by members of the military forces. She was alone.
Members of the Maduro government, such as Diosdado Cabello, another head of the Maduro government that is pursued by U.S. authorities. Also, members of
the military forces and the son of Nicolas Maduro, Nicolas Maduro Guerra, which -- is also a lawmaker in Venezuela.
This is a significant moment for the country that is having right now the proof that after a ruling of the supreme court saying that Delcy Rodriguez
is in charge, well, from now on, she is officially in charge of the destiny of Venezuela, according to the authorities that are now ruling the country.
SOARES: Yes, and her brother was man just standing right in front of her, very striking indeed. A man who's obviously played a huge part in
Venezuelan politics for very long. Stay with us, let me go back to -- let me go to David, because, David, you heard Laura really painting an
incredible picture of what was like inside that courtroom.
A truly defiant, it seems, not just Nicolas Maduro, but Cilia Flores as well. Maduro saying he's the President of Venezuela. And what struck me as
well, he also says he's a prisoner of war. That somehow gives us some sort of insight, right? Into what that -- their defense may be. Just talk us
through what you see as the challenges going ahead.
DAVID WEINSTEIN, FORMER ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA: Well, it's not unexpected that they would make that claim, that's
certainly going to be at the forefront of the defense here, that he has immunity as the leader of Venezuela. He is the head of state, and
therefore, he has immunity, and he can't be charged or convicted of a crime here.
That's just the first step. And so, they're going to have to litigate that here, and they're going to be bound by prior decisions made as it related
to Noriega. And as it relates to who recognizes the individuals as head of state. One of the things that came out of the Noriega case was that it
didn't matter how they got here or who they claimed to be, but rather, were they recognized here in the United States as the head of state?
And so, that's going to be a critical issue. Now, this judge doesn't have to follow that decision. Was that a different circuit? And he can make up
his own mind. But certainly, that's going to be the thrust of their initial defense before they even get to the discovery, and what proof the
government has to prove that they were running this conspiracy, and that they intended and had knowledge of what was going on.
SOARES: And just this brought it out for an international audience here, David. I mean, Maduro's attorney -- and I think we heard this from our team
on the -- inside the courthouse that, potentially will have to answer questions in -- you know, in not just the manner in which Maduro was
brought over to the United States, right.
A simple question for viewers around the world, from an international legal standpoint, is it legal for one country to fly into another country and
arrest someone? You know, in an extradition by military force? Just speak to that first of all.
WEINSTEIN: From the vantage point of the United States, it was perfectly - -
SOARES: Oh, I think we lost you at the -- hold on, David --
WEINSTEIN: Kind of prior --
SOARES: David, apologies, by the vantage point, we lost you for a bit. The crucial moment. From the advantage point of the United States, it was
perfectly --
WEINSTEIN: Perfectly legitimate to do that, because they were enforcing the laws in the United States, and they were entering the country in order
to apprehend and arrest an individual who had violated those laws. It's the same argument they used with Noriega, except with Noriega, he had
surrendered, and he had also taken by force the control of the country.
Here, Maduro's argument is going to be, is that he was a vice president. He became the president, and then was elected. And so, he continued to be the
head of state. And so, where the rubber is going to hit the road is, who makes that determination?
From an international perspective, there are many countries that can decide who the head of state is. But here in the U.S., it's the U.S. government
that decides if the other person is a head of state. And it was their determination that he wasn't, and that they were then authorized to go in
and arrest this person for violating U.S. laws. That's going to be the crux of the argument.
[14:20:00]
SOARES: David, Maria, thank you very much to you both. Thank you very much indeed. A very fast moving story as we keep an eye, of course, in New York
and in Caracas. Joining me now is Vanessa Neumann; she's a former Venezuelan opposition diplomat and joins me here in the studio. Good to see
you, Vanessa.
VANESSA NEUMANN, PRESIDENT, ASYMMETRICA & FORMER VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION DIPLOMAT: Great to see you --
SOARES: Great to see you in person --
NEUMANN: As always.
SOARES: I've known Vanessa for many years --
NEUMANN: Yes --
SOARES: Goes from covering Venezuela. And you were so tapped in into what's going in --
NEUMANN: Yes --
SOARES: In Venezuela, but also in Washington D.C.
NEUMANN: Yes.
SOARES: I just want to show viewers again those images of Delcy Rodriguez --
NEUMANN: OK --
SOARES: Right? Being sworn in by her brother, the Rodriguez clan, well -- two well known faces, two well known faces in Venezuela. She finds herself,
Vanessa, in a really difficult situation, right?
NEUMANN: Yes, I wouldn't want to be her.
SOARES: How? And you were telling me, you know, she -- and I remember clearly what you said to me. You know, she will wont to bend the knee to --
NEUMANN: Right --
SOARES: The United States. But then --
NEUMANN: Right --
SOARES: She is going to be flanked by these two henchmen --
NEUMANN: Right --
SOARES: Who have huge control --
NEUMANN: Right --
SOARES: Big Chavistas. How do you see the challenge for her? Can she do it, you think?
NEUMANN: Right. Well, I think she can walk. If she can walk this sort of narrow path for a while, right? So, the -- what she can do is work with
Trump to allow what they have always wanted, which is the elimination of the sanctions and for American money and business to come in, and improve
the oil and you know, rebuild the infrastructure, the electricity, the water and all of these -- all of these things that are -- that are needed
by the Venezuelan people.
Hopefully, the money will go to that. The challenge will be, if she does all that and bend the knee, you'll have the other guys, Diosdado Cabello
and Padrino Lopez will say, you're bending the knee too much. Don't forget that they're still a criminal organization.
So, they're going to say, don't worry, you're giving the Americans so much. We want a bigger portion of the pie, and then, they're going to view her as
a traitor to them. So, she's between a rock and a hard place.
SOARES: Yes --
NEUMANN: Play too well with Trump, you know, her own party will do her in. And the other challenge that I think I mentioned is, you know what happens
with the other side? What happens if she is the one who leads the reconstruction of Venezuela? That puts her in a very different position.
SOARES: I'm glad you brought that in. Look, the United States has been painting her as a moderate, as a pragmatist, maybe compared with the
Interior Minister and Defense Minister --
NEUMANN: Right --
SOARES: She is a moderate, right?
NEUMANN: Yes --
SOARES: But in the grand scheme of things, she is a shrewd operator behind the scenes in the -- in --
NEUMANN: Yes --
SOARES: You know, and she has many questions and accusations, from not just from the United States, but also from the U.N. over her crimes in
Venezuela. So, that's an important -- I think is important point. But also, if she then runs the country with, you know, the United States playing a
pivotal role behind the scenes, two years down the line, three years down the line, there are elections. What happens -- what happens to the
opposition?
NEUMANN: Well, that's exactly -- that's exactly the concern. Because right now, Maria Corina Machado Gonzalez won the 2024 election on Maria Corina
Machado's party --
SOARES: Yes --
NEUMANN: Right? So, was she --
SOARES: Because she couldn't stand.
NEUMANN: Because she couldn't stand. So, they won together, basically, you know, her mission -- now, if she were to go back today, which all
Venezuelans are hoping that she would to be in Miraflores Palace, they want her to take that, because she was elected.
Now, if you had an election shortly, briefly, within six months from now, again, which we shouldn't. But if they did, she would win hands down. Now,
if you fast forward to a couple of years, and Maria Corina Machado is the one who has won -- you know, won the Nobel Peace Prize, did all these
amazing things.
But Delcy Rodriguez oversaw the food on the plate, the water pipelines, the doctors and the -- and the prosperity and an increase. It's -- she could
well win an election. I mean, as you know --
SOARES: Exactly --
NEUMANN: Everything in politics is timing.
SOARES: How surprised -- and you're so well connected. How surprised are you by the words of the U.S. President? You know, she's a lovely lady --
and I'm paraphrasing. She's a lovely lady, but she doesn't control -- she doesn't have the respect. I mean, she won by more than 70 percent of the
vote --
NEUMANN: Yes --
SOARES: Right?
NEUMANN: Yes --
SOARES: This is very important. And she overwhelmingly -- people follow and embrace --
NEUMANN: Yes --
SOARES: Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo Gonzalez. So, were you taken by surprise when you heard his comments that she completely sidelined?
NEUMANN: I was taken by surprise as were -- as were most Venezuelans as well. Yes, I would -- I had is -- I had -- there was a scenario in my head
where this might happen. I just didn't think it would be phrased so blatantly that it would come out quite like that.
SOARES: But why then, why do it? Because, she said early on, even before the Nobel Peace Prize, that we're going to give the United States access to
oil. So, why then sideline her? What is the threat?
NEUMANN: I'm not sure. It depends. I think, you know, (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) as we say --
SOARES: Yes --
NEUMANN: In D.C., which say has to do with the -- with the peace prize. But she also offered that and honored him with it.
[14:25:00]
SOARES: Because she didn't -- because she accepted it.
NEUMANN: Because she accepted it.
SOARES: I mean, that's pretty petty.
NEUMANN: I'm not going to comment on that, but that's what (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) was in Washington D.C. said --
SOARES: The bad. The bad --
NEUMANN: The bad tongue --
SOARES: The bad tongue --
NEUMANN: The bad tongue --
SOARES: Said that the gossiping --
NEUMANN: And the gossiping. And now, I think that what has -- you know, the other thing is that Trump feels that this is an American investment in
terms of, you know, 150 aircraft and American operation, and that basically they're going to -- they're going to run it.
And from what I understand, and having been on the phone with an adviser to Trump earlier today that they want to view -- they feel that they're going
to run this. They're not going to take advice from an opposition that in Trump's view, isn't strong enough, doesn't have enough of a governance plan
or recuperation plan.
That's not necessarily the case. I don't necessarily agree with that, but I think that that's the thinking that's going on --
SOARES: Isn't that -- very briefly. Isn't there a fear though, as well, Vanessa, that under Diosdado Cabello and under Vladimir Padrino, the two
henchmen, of course, of Nicolas Maduro, the men that control really a lot of the narco trafficking and drug trafficking and mineral, of course --
NEUMANN: Yes --
SOARES: And human trafficking, I should say --
NEUMANN: Yes --
SOARES: That Chavismo can consolidate further this and then the other side of the coin that we're not even talking about here --
NEUMANN: Well, absolutely. And there is a concern and we are -- we have discussed this, you know --
SOARES: Yes --
NEUMANN: Within those of us who have supported the -- you know, democracy for decades that, you know, we need to --Maria Corina Machado really needs
to go back and put pressure from the inside and be with her people, because her support is with her people.
And as the days tick by, you're absolutely right. The Chavistas will consolidate, and I think that placing the bet that the rats will -- the
remaining rats will leave the sinking ship, which is the other story going around D.C., is waiting for the system to collapse again. We've seen this
movie before --
SOARES: Yes --
NEUMANN: It ended badly.
SOARES: They're going to hold on until the very end in the hope that Trump will get tired of this, and that's it.
NEUMANN: Exactly. That's exactly --
SOARES: Vanessa, thank you. So good, really great -- so much to have you here. Insight is so crucial at this juncture. Thank you.
NEUMANN: Thank you so much.
SOARES: And still to come tonight, how the move to snatch Nicolas Maduro's scene on the world stage, we'll have a look at the countries applauding it,
and of course, those also condemning it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Returning now to our breaking news story this hour. Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores made their
first appearance in New York courtroom just a short time ago. They were captured by U.S. forces, if you remember, over the weekend, they both
pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. The judge in the case set their next court appearance for March 17th.
[14:30:16]
Much of the International Community is in shock. Latin American nations such as Brazil, Cuba, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay have condemned
the U.S. for going into Venezuela and then seizing the country's leader Russia is one of Venezuela's, you all know, biggest ally, this is China.
Its ambassador was quick to condemn the U.S. at an emergency U.N. security meeting just a few hours ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VASILY NEBENZYA, RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N. (through translator): The assault against the leader of Venezuela, compounded by the deaths of dozens
of Venezuelan and Cuban citizens, in the eyes of many, has become a harbinger of a turn back to the era of lawlessness and U.S. domination by
force.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, to help us dive into how the rest of the region sees all of this, we are joined by CNN Espanol anchor Juan Carlos Lopez. Juan Carlos,
great to have you right now on the show to discuss. They're just perfect voice for this.
We have seen, as we've just stated there, a joint statement not just from Spain, but also five, I think, five other Latin American countries. Give us
a sense of what they're saying, because from what I read, they're not just rejecting the U.S. attack, but also using pretty scathing language about
resources, going after Venezuela's resources.
JUAN CARLOS LOPEZ, CNN EN ESPANOL U.S. POLITICAL DIRECTOR AND ANCHOR: Hi, Isa. I think the most compelling case, at least to give a good example, is
president of Chile, Gabriel Boric. He is a left-leaning president who is at the end of his run-in office. He is being replaced by Jose Antonio Castro,
a right-wing leader. But Boric was very clear in his speech.
Now, what he said was he was very consistent, and he's very consistent on the record, condemning Nicolas Maduro, condemning human rights violations
in Venezuela, condemning the electoral fraud that happened in Venezuela in 2024. But in his speech, he said, and he was very clear, if Donald Trump
did this in Venezuela, he can do it anywhere else.
Now, we've heard the American president over this weekend threatening Colombia, threatening Mexico, threatening Greenland, and saying that he
wouldn't discount this type of operation against, let's say, President Gustavo Petro of Colombia. So, I think that's the main reaction. If this
happens to Maduro, it could happen to one of them.
And there is another fact that I think is key. When asked about human rights violations and political prisoners in Venezuela, President Trump
responded that he hadn't had time to deal with that, that he was more concerned right now about the oil. So, there is this debate about natural
resources, about Trump invoking the Monroe Doctrine from 202 years ago and claiming the hemisphere as the natural grounds for the United States of
America. And that's, I think, what leaders are seeing, regardless of if they're right-leaning, left-leaning. We have Mexico, the U.S.'s right now
main economic partner, and they're also concerned about what this could mean.
SOARES: Look, and I think the point you brought up, Juan Carlos, about the political prisoners is interesting. There's about 800 political prisoners,
and the word democracy didn't even appear, of course, when President Trump spoke for the first time following on from the events on Saturday.
Branch out the conversation a bit more for us in terms of what they see as the intention of the United States, because initially this was framed
around drugs, and this was -- then the narco trade, then it was democracy, and now we're hearing conversations about oil. But there is a bigger view
from the United States.
I want to read out what Secretary Marco Rubio says. This is the Western Hemisphere. This is where we live. And we're not going to allow the Western
Hemisphere to be a base of operation for adversaries, competitors, and rivals of the United States.
How do countries such as Colombia, of course, who produces more cocaine, or even Ecuador, than Venezuela, how do they take these words and their
threats? And this view the United States has of this is their backyard, we're going to control this hemisphere.
LOPEZ: Well, one of the things is the angle of the drug trade. So, the argument has been that the U.S. has sunk these boats to prevent drugs from
reaching the US. The reality is that drugs don't reach the U.S. in these little fast boats, they normally arrive in the large cargo ships. Ecuador
is right now the main hub of transportation of cocaine to the U.S. and a great part of the world through the shipping lanes. But Ecuador right now
supports the U.S. position. Colombia is in a different position.
Now, President Trump has said he knows there are three giant factories in Colombia, and you could ask any expert on Colombia and they'll tell you
that controlling the drug trade and controlling the cultivation of coca is a monumental task. So, here it's more a use of slogans, a use of U.S.
foreign policy.
[14:35:00]
And what many see is the U.S. putting its interest ahead of the region. It's not only oil, it's minerals and rare earth minerals. And the
realization that Donald Trump is not going to be successful Donald Trump is governing the way he said he would do it, and as he said this weekend, he's
willing to use power to obtain whatever he believes the U.S. rightly owns, and he's said the hemisphere, as you heard, as you recently stated from
Marco Rubio, they believe that the hemisphere belongs to the U.S. Greenland is an example. And when asked about investments made by Denmark in
security, President Trump said that their biggest investment in security was sending another sled. So, I think that's in the minds of many on what
can happen with an emboldened Donald Trump.
SOARES: Juan Carlos, as always, great to have your insight. Thank you very much, Juan Carlos, live for us there in Miami, in Florida.
And still to come tonight, kept in the dark. U.S. lawmakers are unhappy about not being briefed on the military operation inside Venezuela. We'll
go live for you on Capitol Hill.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: As the U.S. Congress returns to Washington this week, the new year brings a new list of legislative challenges, including U.S. military action
inside Venezuela over the weekend.
Now, Congress is waiting to hear more about this operation. Crucially, what is the legal justification? The Trump administration is expected to give a
classified briefing at 5:30 p.m. Eastern time to a select group of bipartisan lawmakers. Among them, the Gang of Eight, top Democrats and
Republicans, as well as Intelligence Committee leaders, which was not informed prior to the operation. This group is typically briefed on
classified information.
Democratic leaders are voicing their anger about the military intervention. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY), U.S. HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: Well, that's one of the problems with this action in Venezuela. How does it actually improve
the quality of life of everyday Americans? How is it in America's national security interests? Why doesn't Donald Trump and their administration focus
on dealing with the affordability crisis?
[14:40:00]
REP. JIM HIMES (D-CT): I'm a member of the Gang of Eight, and I have yet to get a phone call from anybody in the administration. Whether you think
Congress leaks or not, the law says you must brief the Congress. So, this is just yet another example of absolute lawlessness on the part of this
administration.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio claims the operation inside Venezuela doesn't require Congressional approval.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Well, we will seek Congressional approval for actions that require Congressional approval. But otherwise,
they will get Congressional notification. And this is not an operation that requires Congressional approval. In fact, this is an operation akin to what
virtually every single president for the last 40 years has conducted. The difference is that when it's Donald Trump, you know, all these Democrats go
bonkers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, let's bring in our chief congressional correspondent, Manu Raju, live from Capitol Hill. Manu, good to see you. We played there Jim
Himes, who says he's a Gang of Eight. He said no one's actually briefed him, no one's said anything. So, give us a sense, the sort of questions
they are looking to get answered here.
MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there are a ton of questions because the administration has not clearly articulated the
objective to members of Congress in any classified setting that has occurred so far. There have been briefings that have occurred in the past,
but they've been mostly about the strikes that have occurred in the Caribbean waters against those boats that the administration says were
carrying drugs into the United States.
Large -- not getting into the details of what we saw over the weekend, this mission that led to the arrest and capture of Nicolas Maduro and his wife,
and the larger objective that President Trump outlined on Saturday to seize the country's vast oil reserves, and as the president said, now the U.S. is
being in charge of Venezuela. What exactly does that mean? Members on both sides of the aisle have many, many questions.
Now, this briefing that's going to take place today includes those top leaders of Congress in what is known as the Gang of Eight. Those are the
top four leaders in the House and the Senate, as well as the top leaders in the House and the Senate, intelligence committees of Democrats and
Republicans.
Typically, when a mission like this is carried out, they are notified ahead of time, given at least some level of notification that such an attack,
such a strike was occurring. That did not happen this time. In fact, that didn't occur until after the mission began, and that is why you're hearing
enormous frustration, anger from Democrats. You heard from Jim Himes right there, one of those members from the Gang of Eight, including the Senate
Democratic leader, another member who said he has gotten absolutely no information at all from the administration.
Republicans, on the other hand, have largely been quiet about that aspect of it, not getting briefed. We have not heard many complaints. In fact, the
Senate Republican leader just told reporters that he felt sufficiently notified ahead of time, even though they did not get that formal
notification. He raised no objections whatsoever to not getting that briefing that is normally part of the procedure here. And we have not heard
from the speaker of the house complain at all. In fact, both Thune and Speaker Mike Johnson praising the administration's efforts to capture
Nicolas Maduro.
So, like most things on Capitol Hill, things falling along party lines, but no question about it, tonight's briefing will be the first in many efforts
by members of Congress to get more details about what exactly the administration has planned for Venezuela. Isa.
SOARES: Yes. And on that point, very briefly here, I mean, do -- running the country, the big question is, if we push the story forward, who's going
to pay for this? How are they going to pay for this? Do we have some sort of a strategy here from this administration?
RAJU: Yes. Who -- and how many boots on the ground will actually be necessary here? The president himself not ruling that out when asked over
the weekend, saying he'd be fine with that, but not being precise in exactly what that means in terms of sending American troops into Venezuela.
That's going to be a big question here. And we'll see if the administration has given any answers to these members who have lots of pressing questions
at tonight's briefing.
SOARES: Manu Raju, I know you'll keep on top of all the details there for us on Capitol Hill. Good to see you, Manu. Thank you very much indeed.
We're going to take a short break, but we'll see you on the other side.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:45:00]
SOARES: Well, ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife both pleaded not guilty in a New York courtroom earlier today. These are new
court sketches we're going to show you of the moment the pair appeared in court. They're accused, of course, of drug trafficking and weapons
offences. These are the new sketches coming in to us just in the last few moments. That's Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Nick Paton Walsh has a look at how the U.S. operation to capture them actually unfolded.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): With Nicolas Maduro unbowed, President Trump gave the order at 10:46 p.m. Eastern Time. Later, U.S. forces flew into Venezuela from the
sea, 150 aircraft, drones, jets, the helicopters visible over Caracas, where blackouts from U.S. electronic warfare and blasts eased their path.
GEN. DAN CAINE, U.S. CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: As the night began, the helicopters took off with the extraction force, which included
law enforcement officers, and began their flight into Venezuela at 100 feet above the water. As they approached Venezuelan shores, the United States
began layering different effects provided by Spacecom, Cybercom, and other members of the interagency to create a pathway.
WALSH (voice-over): Multiple locations were hit in and around the capital, including what appeared to be an air defense missile system east of Caracas
in Higuerote, and La Carlota Air Base in the capital and the port of La Guaira.
Fire was otherwise concentrated on the Fuerte Tiuna military stronghold. And at 1: 01 a.m. U.S. forces landed at Maduro's location.
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: It was a force against a heavily fortified military fortress in the heart of Caracas.
WALSH (voice-over): Images from outside Fortress Tiuna show troops and people fleeing in the dead of night. It lasted 30 minutes, said General Dan
Caine, and tore apart Venezuela's defenses and the regional order, leaving a gap of two hours and many clashes, he said, until they were over the sea.
CAINE: And the force was over the water at 3:29 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.
WALSH (voice-over): The multi-million-dollar alleged narco-terrorist on the USS Iwo Jima in a $120 jogging suit.
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: And still to come tonight from Caracas, to a New York courtroom, who is Cilia Flores, who is Nicolas Maduro's wife, known as the first
combatant of Venezuelan socialism. We'll have a look at his significant influence next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:50:00]
SOARES: Welcome back. Captured alongside her husband, Venezuela's first lady, or first combatant, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty to U.S. federal
charges today. She has been Nicolas Maduro's partner for more than 30 years, building her own political capital. Here's a look at the woman
considered to be one of the most powerful figures in Venezuela.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES (voice-over): One of Nicolas Maduro's many moments of praise for his wife, Cilia Flores, who was always by the Venezuelan president's side.
But don't be fooled by her soft manner. For years, Flores has wielded power behind the scenes as a shrewd political strategist. In fact, instead of
first lady, she likes to go by first combatant, a title that speaks volumes about her lifelong belief in Chavismo, the socialist movement that has
dominated Venezuela for decades.
As a lawyer, she helped secure Hugo Chavez's release from prison after his failed coup attempt in the '90s. That's when she first crossed paths with
Maduro, a moment she recalled on her husband's podcast.
CILIA FLORES, WIFE OF OUSTED VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO (through translator): When a young man asked to speak, he spoke, and I just stared
at him. It's true, and I said, look, how intelligent.
SOARES (voice-over): Chavez later became president, as well as Maduro's mentor and predecessor. All the while, Flores was busy carving her own
political path. In 2006, she became the first woman to preside over Venezuela's National Assembly. She was criticized for banning journalists
from the legislative chamber and for hiring dozens of relatives as employees, moves she defended.
In 2012, Chavez appointed Flores as the country's solicitor general, not long before he died. One year later, she tied the knot with then-president
Maduro.
NICOLAS MADURO, OUSTED VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Cilia and I legalized our relationship under the country's laws.
SOARES (voice-over): All of this has earned her the description of the most powerful woman in Venezuela. That power and influence haven't gone
unnoticed.
In 2018, the first Trump administration slapped sanctions on the first lady and others, alleging they were helping the Venezuelan leader plunder his
nation's wealth.
MADURO (through translator): If you want to attack me, attack me. Don't mess with Cilia. Don't mess with the family.
SOARES (voice-over): But the Trump administration disagreed. And when it took the extraordinary step of seizing the Venezuelan president from his
bedroom over the weekend, it made sure to get Flores too.
In the indictment, prosecutors accused the first couple and other members of the country's elite of working with narco-trafficking gangs to
facilitate and protect their drug-trafficking operation. The 25-page document adds that they ordered kidnappings, beatings and murders against
those who owed them money or interfered with their drug-trafficking operation.
[14:55:00]
69-year-old Flores made her first appearance at a New York courthouse on Monday alongside her husband. Defiant, they both pleaded not guilty on what
is fast becoming a blockbuster case.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES (on camera): Well, we are getting new information this moment about the U.S. operation to capture Nicolas Maduro. Just a few moments ago, in
fact, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said there were far more U.S. troops on the ground than we have heard before. I want to play this, what
he said. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETE HEGSETH, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: We saw three nights ago in downtown Caracas, Venezuela, as nearly 200 of our greatest Americans went downtown
in Caracas -- it seems those Russian air defenses didn't quite work so well, did they? Downtown Caracas and grabbed an indicted individual wanted
by American justice in support of law enforcement without a single American killed.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Hegseth giving us some detail, of course, of how it all happened, or the number of people, nearly 200 U.S. personnel, of course, in Caracas
in the early hours of Saturday morning, about 150 or so. Quite a picture, of course, of what we've seen happening today in the New York courtroom
with President Nicolas Maduro, wife Cilia Flores, both in court pleading not guilty, him saying that he's a prisoner of war and saying that he's a
president of Venezuela.
We're going to continue this breaking news. You stay right here. We'll be back after a short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:00]
END
