NPR News: 01-04-2026 8PM EST
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What new charges are Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife facing in New York?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herst. Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro and his wife will make their first court appearance in New York tomorrow. NPR's Carrie Johnson reports they face multiple felony charges.
The grand jury indictment against Maduro accuses him of narco trafficking, conspiracy to import cocaine into the US, and possession of machine guns and other destructive devices. Prosecutors initially secured an indictment of Maduro back in twenty twenty, but they added new charges and new defendants, including Maduro's wife. The Trump administration has not produced a memo or other details about the legal rationale for their capture, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio casts it as a law enforcement operation to arrest people facing American criminal charges. Rubio says military personnel helped protect the federal agents who executed the arrest, and he says the operation was too uncertain to notify Congress in advance.
Carrie Johnson, NPR News, Washington.
How is interim President Delce Rodríguez consolidating power and responding to the U.S.?
Meanwhile,
Venezuela's interim president is quickly consolidating her power. Reporter John Otis has more.
Delce Rodriguez, who had been Maduro's vice president, was sworn in to replace him Saturday. Since then, Rodriguez has secured backing from key members of Maduro's authoritarian regime, which remains largely in place. Among them is Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, who in this speech on Sunday offered Rodriguez his full support. But in an ominous sign for the Trump administration, which claims Venezuela's government will be a US ally, Rodriguez has fiercely criticized the United States and is demanding that Maduro be returned to Venezuela. For MPR News, I'm John Otis.
Congress is ending its holiday break dealing with the news of the US strikes in Venezuela.
What are Congress members saying about the recent U.S. strikes in Venezuela?
As NPR's Barbara Sprunt reports, this comes after months of growing concerns among some members of Congress about the Trump administration's deadly strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean.
Top congressional Republicans praised President Trump, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune calling the strikes an important first step in bringing the Venezuelan president to justice. He added that he looks forward to briefings from the administration when Congress returns this week. Fellow Republican Don Bacon of Nebraska said the operation will be positive for Venezuelans, but he's concerned Russia and China will use it to justify actions against Ukraine and Taiwan. Meanwhile, Congressional Democrats have blasted the operation, questioning whether it was even legal without congressional approval. Barbara Sprunt and Pierre News, Washington.
Asian markets are trading mostly higher at this hour. The Nikkei, the main market in Japan, is up about two point six percent.
How is the auto industry addressing drunk‑driving prevention technology in new cars?
US futures contracts are trading in mixed territory. You're listening to NPR News. Jury selection starts tomorrow in the trial of the former police officer charged in the delayed response to the deadly Uvalde Texas elementary school shooting in twenty twenty two. This after police waited more than an hour to confront the gunmen while students and teachers lay dead or wounded in classrooms. nineteen students and two teachers were killed, twenty one other people were wounded. Adrian Gonzalez is accused of ignoring his training in a crisis with deadly consequences. His attorney says he was focused on helping children escape the building. A majority of Americans support adding technology to cars to prevent drunk driving.
What does the AAA survey reveal about public support for vehicle safety tech?
It's according to a survey released this month by the Triple A Foundation for Traffic Safety. And Pierce Camila Dominosky reports the technology has been required by Congress, but it's stuck in regulatory limbo.
The auto industry has been working on tools that can detect impaired driving and stop a car from operating without requiring a driver to blow into a breathalyzer. Some rely on samples of air, others on cameras, monitoring eyes. Four years ago, Congress directed federal regulators to write a rule requiring such tech in future vehicles, but it hasn't happened yet.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What new charges are Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife facing in New York?
0:00–1:02
2
How is interim President Delce Rodríguez consolidating power and responding to the U.S.?
1:02–1:57
3
What are Congress members saying about the recent U.S. strikes in Venezuela?
1:57–2:54
4
How is the auto industry addressing drunk‑driving prevention technology in new cars?
2:54–3:39
5
What does the AAA survey reveal about public support for vehicle safety tech?
3:39–4:38