Nicolas Maduro, wife face judge as lawmakers, NC Venezuelan community reacts to arrests

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores made their first appearance in front of a judge Monday afternoon, following their capture by US forces in Caracas.

During the brief hearing, Maduro claimed his innocence, as he faces charges of narco-terrorism, conspiracy, drug trafficking and money laundering, among others, in the United States.

"They are not just bad politicians. They are a criminal regime," said Carlos Benucci, who is from Venezuela and now lives in the Triangle.

Benucci worked as the National Youth Coordinator for Vente Venezuela, the political party that opposed Maduro. Outside observers believe Edmundo Gonzalez won the 2024 election. However, Maduro claimed victory and refused to cede power.

Maduro has faced allegations of human rights abuses for years, ranging from the targeting of political opponents to excessive use of force.

"I had in my team, my coordination, 10 people. And five of those 10 people are in jail right now," said Benucci.

Benucci left Venezuela five years ago and now lives in the Triangle. It's estimated that eight million Venezuelans have left the country during Maduro's time in office.

While exact figures are difficult to track, the American Immigration Council reports that Venezuela was the second-leading country of origin for refugees who resettled in North Carolina in the last fiscal year, and the only South American country in the top five.

"My real desire is to return to Venezuela and rebuild our country," said Benucci.

Reaction to the military operation has sparked a range of responses, both internationally and domestically.

"President Trump very clearly has indicated here that he sees this as a legitimate use of American military power, and that should be frightening to the entire world. It suggests that the awesome power of the U.S. military is no longer constrained by law," said NC State Political Science Professor Michael Struett.

The Trump administration did not seek Congressional approval in utilizing the military for the operation, believing it had the authority to move forward without doing so.

"I absolutely think that this is what President Trump is trying to do with a targeted set of strikes was to avoid overt armed conflict over a protracted period with Venezuela. That is classic Title 50. Title 50 operations do not need to notify Congress now," said Congressman Pat Harrigan, a Republican who represents the state's 10th District, during an interview with ABC News Live over the weekend.

"President Trump is not dealing with the world stage in a consistent way. He's not dealing with it in a way that follows the laws of Congress. He is not dealing with it in a way that sets a good precedent for how democratic countries should operate in this very, very volatile world," said Representative Deborah Ross, a Democrat who represents the state's 2nd District.

"The president isn't supposed to use force without the authorization of Congress against a foreign state. This is fundamentally an act of war to use military force and target the air defenses of a foreign nation and then impose your will," said Struett.

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez is now serving as interim President, though the future role of leadership appears unclear, as does the potential involvement of US in those affairs.

"Nobody is justifying the Maduro regime, but nobody should be justifying the way Trump has gone into a sovereign country and completely taken over," said Ross.

"We've got to stop the weakness. That's exactly what President Trump did with the operation two nights ago. We fundamentally have put our adversaries on notice around the globe that these type of shenanigans will not be tolerated. The US has unprecedented capabilities that we will deploy if we need to for our strategic objectives," said Harrigan.

Benucci supports the operation to remove Maduro, though believes leadership from Vente Venezuela need to be incorporated into the country's future.

"Absolutely, they must be part of the transition," said Benucci, referring to Gonzalez and Maria Corina Machado, the leader of Vente Venezuela.

However, Trump has criticized Machado, who won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, claiming she doesn't have the "respect" of the country to govern.