Caracas, Venezuela - March 26, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of demonstrators rallying to voice support for President Nicolas Maduro, waving Venezuelan national flag, holding pictures of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores
2. Demonstrator holding pictures of Maduro and Flores, talking with others
3. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Iris Varela, member, National Assembly of Venezuela (ending with shots 4-5):
"They knew 10 days ago that they had no evidence. No matter how much time passes, they have no evidence to charge Maduro and Flores, who have committed no crime."
4. Various of demonstrators holding pictures of Maruro and Flores, waving flags, chanting
5. Screen showing Maduro, Flores
6. Demonstrators
7. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Ramona Palma, mother of soldier killed in U.S. attack:
"I lost my son. He sacrificed his life while defending our country. In his military boots, he fought for his motherland and devoted himself to the country that had witnessed his growth."
8. Demonstrators waving flags, chanting

Demonstrators rallied in the Venezuelan capital Caracas and other cities across the country on Thursday to voice support for President Nicolas Maduro, condemning the U.S. forcible seizure of the leader and his wife Cilia Flores, and refuting relevant U.S. charges.

The rallies took place on the same day when Maduro made his second appearance in a New York court. During his first arraignment on Jan 5, Maduro pleaded not guilty to all U.S. charges against him, including drug trafficking, and told the court that he was "kidnapped" from his Caracas residence and he remains president of Venezuela.

On Thursday, Maduro's lawyer continued pushing the judge to throw out the charges in court and argued that the United States is violating Maduro's constitutional rights by blocking Venezuelan government funds from paying for his legal fees.

Though doubting Washington's justification for barring Maduro from using Venezuela's funds to cover his legal defense, the judge denied the dismissal of the case.

"They knew 10 days ago that they had no evidence. No matter how much time passes, they have no evidence to charge Maduro and Flores, who have committed no crime," said Iris Varela, a member of the National Assembly of Venezuela.

On Jan 3, U.S. military forces launched a large-scale strike against Venezuela and forcibly seized Maduro and his wife before transporting them to New York. The U.S. attacks have shocked the international community, triggering a stream of condemnation and serious concerns worldwide.

Ramona Palma, the mother of a Venezuelan soldier killed in the U.S. attack on Jan 3, participated in the rally, demanding Maduro's release and condemning the U.S. military intervention in Venezuela.

"I lost my son. He sacrificed his life while defending our country. In his military boots, he fought for his motherland and devoted himself to the country that had witnessed his growth," said Palma.

According to Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, 47 soldiers of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces were killed in the U.S. assault.