Nicolas Maduro appears in US court
Former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro faces a US court appearance, while recovery efforts continue following the devastating earthquake in Venezuela.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro appeared in a New York federal court on Wednesday for a pre-trial hearing, while recovery efforts continue in Venezuela after last month's devastating earthquakes. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, both wearing beige jail jumpsuits, faced a judge who set their trial date for June 1, 2027. They are charged with narco-terrorism, cocaine importation conspiracy, and two weapons-related charges. Both have pleaded not guilty. Maduro's lawyer previewed a possible defence based on sovereign immunity, arguing that as a former head of state he is protected from criminal prosecution in the United States. As he left the courtroom, Maduro waved to the gallery. The case is expected to be one of the most consequential criminal trials in decades.
Meanwhile, the human toll from the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela more than a month ago continues to rise. The official death toll now stands at more than 5,000, with tens of thousands still missing. The earthquakes, of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, hit within 38 seconds of each other near the capital Caracas, devastating the northern coastal region of La Guaira. Entire social housing complexes collapsed, and families have been digging through the rubble themselves, often without help from the government. International search and rescue teams have largely left, and local authorities have begun burying unidentified victims.
Survivors describe a chaotic and inadequate government response. Many residents say they have been left to fend for themselves. In one case, a 12-year-old girl named Fabiana was rescued after 32 hours under the rubble; she survived by eating ketchup and grated cheese. In another, a security guard was pulled alive after eight days buried in an underground car park. But for most families, the search for missing loved ones continues. Victor Calderon, a fisherman, lost 26 relatives. Diana and Jose, whose two sons were playing PlayStation when the quake hit, still hold out hope of finding them alive.
The United States has pledged more than $310 million in aid, and the United Nations estimates the damage at $6.7 billion, equivalent to 6% of Venezuela's economy. Humanitarian organisations on the ground say the scale of destruction is comparable to the Turkey earthquake or the front lines in Ukraine. About 1.8 million people are affected, and around a million are living on the streets. The government insists it has done everything in its power, but many Venezuelans say they feel abandoned. For most, the fate of their former president in a US courtroom is a distant concern compared to the immediate struggle to survive and recover.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC News | BBC One | Channel 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The death toll from the earthquakes was reported as 3,811 to 4,000, with thousands unaccounted for. | |||
| The death toll from Venezuela's earthquakes was reported as over 3,800. | · | ||
| 16 people are believed to be still alive in a shop crushed under a building. | · | · | |
| A 12-year-old girl, Fabiana, was rescued after 32 hours under the rubble. | · | · | |
| A security guard was pulled out alive after eight days buried in an underground car park. | · | · | |
| An estimated 1.8 million people have been affected by the disaster. | · | · | |
| International aid teams are beginning to leave Venezuela. | · | · | |
| Maduro's lawyer previewed a defence based on sovereign immunity. | · | · | |
| More than 3,600 people have been confirmed dead and 16,700 injured. | · | · | |
| Most international aid teams have left the region. | · | · | |
| Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores will appear in a New York federal court on drug trafficking charges. | · | · | |
| Survivors say the government has no plan for search and rescue. | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC News provided the most comprehensive coverage, balancing the Maduro court appearance with extensive on-the-ground reporting from Venezuela. The channel focused on the human tragedy of the earthquake, including detailed interviews with survivors and aid workers, while also reporting the legal proceedings in New York. The tone was factual and empathetic, highlighting the contrast between the political drama and the desperate search for missing loved ones.
- “Most people we've spoken to say they simply don't have capacity to think about that now.”
- “Right now, we all feel like we don't have a president here, no one at all.”
- “Maduro and Flores wore beige jail jumpsuits in court and mostly seemed calm, and the courtroom was full of journalists and members of the public who had waited hours for the chance to see him.”
Channel 4 focused exclusively on the human impact of the earthquake, with no mention of Nicolas Maduro's court appearance. The report was a deeply personal, emotional account of one family's search for their two missing sons in La Guaira. The tone was critical of the government's response, highlighting the absence of official help and the reliance on faith and community. The channel used vivid, immersive storytelling to convey the scale of the disaster and the desperation of survivors.
- “A mother's intuition. That's nearly all Diana has left to hold on to, that her two sons, crushed in the rubble over two weeks ago, are still alive.”
- “People here say most of the international search and rescue teams have left, and the government never really turned up at all.”
- “With the state no longer on the side and a shortage of international support, where else is there to turn but their faith?”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.