Maduro Pleads Not Guilty to US Charges Amidst Venezuelan Political Tensions and US Assertions

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife pleaded not guilty to US drug trafficking and weapons charges following their arrest. Maduro claims he was forcibly taken from Caracas, where his loyalist Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as acting president amid tense conditions. US President Donald Trump stated Washington now controls Venezuela and warned of potential military action in Colombia, while also urging Mexico to address drug trafficking.