Venezuela's Ousted Leader Makes First Court Appearance

Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro says "I am still president" as he pleads not guilty to drug trafficking and other charges in his first appearance at a New York court

He and his wife Cilia Flores were seized from their Caracas compound on Saturday and flown to the US as part of a special forces operation - here's what happened

Today's hearing ended with a tense exchange between a member of the public and Maduro, who said he was a "prisoner of war", our reporter in court says

Outside, protesters have been gathering, with some brandishing placards - one reads "USA Hands-off Venezuela", while another says "Thank You President Trump"

Earlier, dramatic images showed the pair being transferred to the courthouse in handcuffs, surrounded by armed officers

Meanwhile, Venezuela's new leader Delcy Rodríguez is due to be sworn in before the country's National Assembly

Edited by Tinshui Yeung, Brandon Livesay and Ben Hatton, with Madeline Halpert in New York and Nicole Kolster in Caracas

US spies had been monitoring Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s every move for months - observing where he slept, what he ate, and what he wore - before the mission to seize him was finalised in early December.

It became a two-hour-and-twenty-minute mission by air, land and sea stunned many in Washington and around the world on Saturday. Here’s how it unfolded:

For full details, read our breakdown here.

Venezuela has been left with "the leftovers of the Maduro regime," a former political prisoner tells the BBC.

Freddy Guevara, who was an opposition politician in the country, tells BBC Radio 4's Today programme he felt the US would ensure a "democratic transition."

He says there are many "critiques" of the US, but "it’s a country with democratic institutions and a long tradition of freedom, and I quite frankly can’t imagine a United States government supporting a dictatorship in Latin America".

He adds that Maduro's regime had only been sustained "by force and fear" and relied upon international support.

Delcy Rodríguez is due to be sworn in later as Venezuela's president, hours after Donald Trump warned her she could pay a "very big price" if she "doesn't do what's right".

In comments to the Atlantic on Sunday, the US president said: "If she doesn't do what's right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro."

He added that for Venezuela: "Regime change, anything you want to call it, is better than what you have right now. Can't get any worse".

Trump has vowed the US will run the country until "a safe and proper and judicious transition" is possible. He also promised US oil companies will move into the country to fix infrastructure "and start making money for the country".

We'll bring you live images of Rodríguez's swearing in as and when we receive them.

Nicolás Maduro has been charged with "Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States".