Trump mocks Nicolas Maduro for trying 'to imitate my dance' before US troops captured him

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump on Tuesday, January 6, mocked ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro for trying "to imitate my dance" in public appearances before US troops captured him and his wife during a weekend raid.

The POTUS made the statement during an annual gathering of House Republicans at the rebranded Trump-Kennedy Center in Washington, calling Maduro "a violent guy". 

Trump says Maduro has killed 'millions of people'

Donald Trump said during the annual gathering, "He gets up there, and he tries to imitate my dance a little bit, but he’s a violent guy. He’s killed millions of people. He’s tortured, they have a torture chamber in the middle of Caracas that they’re closing up."

Maduro publicly danced late last year to the beat of a song declaring "no crazy war" in English as Trump ratcheted up his threats. In a viral clip, Maduro wiggled his hips before bouncing up and down to the anti-intervention tune.

On Sunday, January 4, the New York Times reported that Trump administration officials took Maduro’s slick moves as a sign that the ousted Venezuelan President was mocking US' efforts to force him from power and trying to call what he believed to be a bluff.

The outlet had earlier reported that Maduro had rejected an offer to step down from power and go into a self-imposed exile in Turkey.

In early December 2025, the NY Post reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had floated allowing Maduro to live out his days in oil-rich Qatar after the POTUS had insisted in late November that the Venezuelan surrender his leadership immediately. 

As Maduro showed no signs of budging from Caracas, the president signed off on what he called the "most incredible" mission on Saturday, January 3, to capture the Venezuelan leader and bring him to New York to face charges. 

Trump said, "It was so complex. 152 airplanes … We had a lot of boots on the ground, but it was amazing. And think of it, nobody was killed."

"And on the other side, a lot of people were killed, unfortunately, I say that. Soldiers, Cubans, mostly Cubans, but many, many killed and our guys were, you know, our guys are jumping out of helicopters," the POTUS added.

Nicolas Maduro, wife Cilia Flores plead not guilty in first court appearance

Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty on Monday, January 5, during their first appearance in a US federal court following their capture in Venezuela.

The hearing took place in Manhattan before District Judge Alvin K Hellerstein. After prosecutors summarized the charges, Maduro pleaded not guilty in Spanish. "I am not guilty," he said, adding, "I am a decent man. I am still the president of my country."

Throughout the hearing, Maduro asserted that he remains Venezuela’s leader. As Judge Hellerstein asked him to confirm his identity, he stood, confirmed his name, and said that he is the President of Venezuela. 

Meanwhile, the judge replied that "there will be a time and a place to go into all of this", and clarified that the court only required confirmation of his name at that stage. 

Maduro also told the court, "I was captured at my home in Caracas, Venezuela."

Cilia Flores, the former first lady of Venezuela, also entered her plea shortly afterwards and said, "Not guilty, completely innocent," in Spanish when asked by Judge Hellerstein.