Venezuelan authorities ordered a nationwide manhunt for anyone who supported the operation that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro, according to a state of emergency decree issued Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, and published Monday, Jan. 5.
The text directs police to “immediately begin the national search and capture of everyone involved in the promotion or support for the armed attack by the United States.”
Officials did not specify what charges could be brought against those detained or how involvement would be defined for enforcement.
Emergency decree and enforcement scope
The decree follows a weekend of rapid developments that began with a U.S. military operation in Caracas and continued with the transfer of Maduro and Cilia Flores into U.S. custody.
Venezuelan security services were instructed to coordinate arrests across states and to prioritize individuals suspected of aiding planning, logistics or public advocacy for the operation. Authorities did not publish a list of targets, and it was not immediately clear whether the effort would focus on political figures, business leaders, civil servants or media actors.
Legal analysts in Caracas said the decree leaves several questions open. Venezuelan criminal law contains provisions for treason and conspiracy, but prosecutors would need to connect public expressions or logistical acts to concrete elements of a crime.
Human rights advocates warned that vague terms like “support” could be read expansively and risk sweeping up peaceful critics or bystanders. Families of detainees from prior protest waves urged transparency on arrests, access to counsel, and publication of charges within statutory timelines.
Court developments in New York
Maduro and Flores appeared before a federal magistrate in New York on Monday, Jan. 5, and entered not guilty pleas to charges that include narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons offenses.
In court, Maduro said, “I am not guilty, I am a decent man, I am still the president of my country.” Flores referred to herself as the first lady of Venezuela. The judge advised both defendants of their rights, set the framework for detention proceedings, and outlined the schedule for an arraignment on a superseding indictment.
Prosecutors are expected to argue for continued detention based on flight risk and the international dimensions of the case. Defense teams can challenge jurisdiction, seek suppression of evidence, and test the credibility of cooperating witnesses referenced in earlier filings.
The U.S. Marshals Service coordinated transport and security around the courthouse, while consular notifications and intake procedures continued at the detention facility.
