Nicolás Maduro Guerra—son of the captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro—has committed his “unconditional support” to the recently sworn-in , who previously served as his father’s vice president.

“My unconditional support for the very hard task you’ve been given,” Maduro Guerra—commonly known as “Nicolasito”—stated, per the (CBC). “Count on me, count on my family, count on our firmness in taking the right steps at the forefront of this responsibility that is now yours.”

Maduro Guerra offered these comments during his first public appearance following the capture of his father and stepmother, Cilia Flores, by U.S. forces and their extradition to . The son of the deposed Venezuelan president—himself a legislator—joined fellow ruling-party lawmakers at the scheduled inauguration of the National Assembly, whose term runs until 2031, as reported by .

Maduro Guerra denounced the U.S. operation, labeling it a “kidnapping” and asserting that “no country is safe.”

“If we normalize the kidnapping of a head of state, no country is safe. Today, it’s Venezuela. Tomorrow, it could be any nation that refuses to submit,” Maduro Guerra stated, per the CBC. “This is not a regional problem. It is a direct threat to global political stability.”

Rodríguez—sworn in on Monday—has held the vice presidency since 2018. Though she opposes the U.S. military action that led to her former superior’s arrest, Rodríguez has promised to collaborate with the Trump administration.

“I come with sorrow for the suffering inflicted upon the Venezuelan people following an illegitimate military aggression against our homeland,” Rodríguez stated, per the AP.

Maduro and Flores were seized by U.S. forces in the early hours of Saturday morning at their Caracas, Venezuela, residence. The Trump administration announced the operation on Saturday following successful “large-scale” military strikes targeting the . The dictator and his wife are currently detained in New York as they await narco-terrorism charges. This historic action drew both praise and criticism worldwide, with some challenging its legality.

were among the nations that denounced the U.S. operation in Venezuela, while certain regional allies—such as Argentina—praised the action.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado—who received the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her struggle for freedom in Venezuela—lauded the operation, noting that Jan. 3 will be remembered as a “day that justice defeated tyranny.”

“It’s a milestone, and it’s not only huge for the Venezuelan people and our future, I think it’s a huge step for humanity, for freedom, and human dignity,” during an appearance on “Hannity.”

“A free Venezuela means, first, a security ally, dismantling the criminal hub of the Americas and turning it into a security shield, the strongest ally to dismantle all these criminal structures that have made so much damage and harm to our people and to the American people as well,” she stated. “Secondly, we will turn Venezuela into the energy hub of the Americas. We will bring rule of law. We will open markets. We will give security to foreign investment. Third, we’ll bring millions of Venezuelans that have been forced to flee their country back home, to build a strong nation, prosperous nation, open society,” Machado continued.

Machado—who has been in hiding for over a year—has pledged to return to Venezuela.

Digital’s Maria Lencki and