Published: 11:53, March 29, 2026 | Updated: 13:07, March 29, 2026
Maduro says he and wife ‘well, firm’ in first message since capture
By Xinhua
A supporter of Venezuela's ousted president Nicolas Maduro holds a painting depicting Maduro during a demonstration in Caracas on March 26, 2026, as he appeared in court in New York. (PHOTO/AFP)

CARACAS - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Saturday in a social media post that he and his wife, Cilia Flores, are "well, firm and calm," two days after a court hearing in New York.

In a first-person message posted on his official Telegram and X accounts, Maduro and Flores said that "now more than ever," it is necessary to "continue consolidating the country's peace, national unity, reconciliation, forgiveness and reunification among all."

ALSO READ: Maduro makes second appearance at New York courthouse

"No one should deviate from the path of dialogue, coexistence and respect," the couple said in the message, their first public statement since their capture in Caracas in January.

On Jan 3, US military forces launched a large-scale operation against Venezuela and forcibly seized Maduro and his wife before transporting them to New York.

READ MORE: Military strike, capture of Maduro condemned

On Jan 5, Maduro made his first court appearance in New York, where he pleaded not guilty to all US charges against him.

Maduro appeared again before the same court on Thursday, where the judge denied his motion to dismiss the case.