2026-01-06
12 分钟Nicolas Maduro declares his innocence in his first appearance in front of a U.S.
court.
Plus, the Trump administration's actions in Venezuela herald a new geopolitical strategy.
And why automakers are expecting this year to be a tough one.
It's Monday, January 5th.
I'm Alex O'Sulliv for The Wall Street Journal.
This is the PM edition of What's News,
the top headlines and business stories that move the world today.
Alstead Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro made his first appearance in front of a U.S.
federal court today, where he pleaded not guilty to narco-trafficking charges.
Maduro said he was still the president of his country and that he was a prisoner of war who had been kidnapped.
The hearing was the start of a highly unusual legal battle for a foreign leader in a U.S.
court,
and the prosecution and defense could spend years fighting over the legality of Maduro's arrest and his charges before he even goes to trial.
Separately, in an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council today,
Venezuela asked the UN to condemn what it called the kidnapping of its president and said its institutions are functioning normally.
Russia and China criticized the U.S.
actions and called for Maduro's release.
The U.S.
said Maduro's removal was a legitimate law enforcement operation.