Maduro and wife to appear in Manhattan federal court on Monday

Ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are set to appear in a federal court in Manhattan following their capture in a military operation in Caracas. The couple is expected to make their initial appearances in front of Judge Alvin Hellerstein at 12 p.m. ET. Currently, they are being held in federal custody at MDC-Brooklyn.

Maduro and Flores are among six defendants named in a four-count superseding indictment, accusing them of conspiring with violent drug traffickers for the past 25 years. Maduro has consistently denied these allegations. Texas lawyer Mark Donnelly is representing Flores, while attorney Barry Pollack, who previously represented Julian Assange, is representing Maduro.

Protesters have gathered outside the courthouse, with one group calling for President Trump to “Free President Maduro,” while the other supports his capture. More protesters are expected to arrive before the court appearance.

In a surprising move, Trump claimed that the U.S. conducted a successful operation to capture Maduro and Flores. He mentioned that the U.S. military was involved in the operation and stated that the U.S. would take control of Venezuela for an unspecified period. Trump also mentioned plans to have his Cabinet officials oversee Venezuela and attract investment from oil companies to benefit the Venezuelan people.

Following Maduro’s capture, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has been sworn in as the interim leader. Rodriguez demanded Maduro’s return and pledged to defend Venezuela against American aggression. Despite initially taking a firm stance, Rodriguez later invited the U.S. government to collaborate on shared development within the framework of international law.

Trump asserted that the U.S. is now in charge of Venezuela and hinted at a possible conversation with Rodriguez in the future. The situation continues to evolve, with ongoing developments expected in the coming days.

This article is based on the original content from ABC News, with contributions from Meghan Mistry and Hannah Demissie.