An armored vehicle carrying Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores arrives at Manhattan Federal Court on January 5, 2026, in New York, the US. Photo: VCG

Venezuela's Maduro arrived at federal courthouse in New York for first court appearance, two days after the US forcibly seized the president and his wife in a surprise attack, multiple media reported on Monday. 

According to videos released by ABC-affiliate WABC News, the Venezuelan President and his wife was escorted by armed officers from the detention center in Brooklyn and led to a helicopter. The pair were wearing tan prison suits.

He was then seen surrounded by US Drug Enforcement Administration agents and police after taking off the helicopter and being moved to the New York federal courthouse, according a photo released by Reuters. 

The unusual scene has captured global media attention, as members of the media gathered behind barricades outside the federal court ahead of the arrival, a photo released by the Bloomberg showed. 

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) met on Monday after the US attacked Venezuela and deposed Maduro.

"We meet at a grave time following the 3 January US military action in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela,"Rosemary DiCarlo said, briefing on behalf of the Secretary-General, according to a release published on official website of the UN. She recalled that Venezuela has described the incident as a military aggression and a violation of the UN Charter.

Expressing concern over "the possible intensification of instability" and its regional impact, she warned of the precedent it could set. Noting decades of political, social and economic turmoil that have driven millions to flee, she stressed that "the situation is critical, but it is still possible to prevent a wider and more destructive conflagration."

She urged inclusive dialogue and respect for sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity, emphasizing that "the power of the law must prevail".

According to the official website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, at a regular press briefing on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian responded in detail to 12 questions related to Venezuela situation.

The US' move is in clear violation of international law, basic norms in international relations, and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. 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, Lin said.

"No matter how the international landscape may evolve, China will always be a good friend and good partner of Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries," Lin noted, adding that China's policy on the LAC region maintains continuity and consistency. "We uphold the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, respect the choice of the LAC people, and never draw lines along ideological differences," Lin noted.

China-LAC exchanges and cooperation follow the principles of equality and mutual benefit, never seek sphere of influence and never target any party, Lin said. 

On Sunday, Venezuelan Interim President Delcy Rodríguez sent a message via social media to the US government, and in particular to President Donald Trump, inviting the two countries to develop relations based on balance and mutual respect, according to multiple media reports. 

Some media outlets, including the Associated Press and Bloomberg, also reported on Rodríguez's latest statement. The Bloomberg report noted that Rodríguez's remarks "strike a more conciliatory tone toward the Trump administration after her initial outrage at the seizure of President Nicolas Maduro."

Wang Youming, Director of the Department for Developing Countries Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Monday that the Venezuelan acting president's shift in tone should not be simply interpreted as "softening" or "succumbing to US pressure."

"Rodríguez's invitation to the US to formulate a cooperation plan should not be viewed as an unprincipled compromise. Instead, she had to made such choice for the possible peace in Venezuela and the wider region, which is in line with Venezuela's national interests. This shift is a strategy against the backdrop of the disparate strength between the two sides, reflecting Venezuela's consideration of safeguarding its core interests amid complex situations," Wang noted.

Maduro's congressman son Maduro Guerra called Sunday for Venezuelans to take to the streets following his father's ouster, Barron's reported. The report said that the seamless execution of the operation has led to speculation that the socialist firebrand was betrayed by someone within his inner circle. Echoing those rumors, his son said: "History will tell who the traitors were, history will reveal it. We will see."

According to Reuters, US President Trump said on Saturday that Washington would run Venezuela "until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition." It is unclear how Trump plans to oversee Venezuela.

However, the Washington Post claimed on Sunday that the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio could be taking the role as the "Viceroy of Venezuela." It cited US officials familiar with the planning saying that Rubio was central to masterminding the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday.

Rubio claimed Sunday the US is not at war with Venezuela, adding that the US is "running policy" in Venezuela. "What we are 'running' is the direction that this is going to move moving forward," Rubio told ABC News, claiming that the US would continue to apply pressure through restrictions on Venezuela's oil trade.

The process of the US takeover of Venezuela is extremely complex, Wang said, given the existence of three competing forces: Venezuela's current government, its opposition forces, and the US oversight team that is being formed. However, behind Rubio's vague expression of "running policy," the US' real intention is clear: controlling the country's oil and other important strategic facilities. "The core motivation behind the US launching this operation is its covetousness for Venezuela's oil resources," Wang said. 

Washington is continuing to hint at more military action, not only against Venezuela but other "perceived enemies" in the region such as Cuba and Colombia, the Washington Post report said. Speaking on Air Force One on Sunday evening, Trump said military action in Colombia sounded "good" to him and that he thought Cuba was "ready to fall" without US intervention. He also reasserted his desire to take control of Greenland, per the New York Times.

Colombia's President Gustavo Petro on Sunday rejected threats by his US counterpart, who also accused him of being a drug trafficker. "Stop slandering me, Mr. Trump." Petro said on the social media platform X. Petro has harshly criticized the Trump administration's military action in the region and accused Washington of capturing Maduro "without legal basis," according to media reports.

The leaders of Spain, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay issued a joint statement on Sunday rejecting the US military operation that led to the ousting of Nicolas Maduro and warned against the appropriation of the country's vast natural resources after the US said it would run Venezuela on the interim, according to Euro News. 

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Monday that he expects an explanation from the US regarding its operation against Venezuela. He said he expected the US "not only to observe international law, but also to explain to us and to everyone else on what legal basis this was done," according to German TV program Tagesschau.