The White House pushed back on the visible injuries to former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, saying that the couple hit their heads when they were trying to flee the U.S. military early Saturday. Here is the latest on the situation with Venezuela.

Maduro and Wife Appear in Court, Plead Not Guilty to Charges

Trump officials briefed lawmakers on Monday, telling them that Maduro and Flores were injured during the operation to arrest them and bring them to the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe were all part of the Monday evening briefing that lasted over two hours.

The question of the injuries came up on Monday when Maduro and his wife appeared in a New York courthouse with visible injuries. Flores' lawyer said she suffered the injuries during her abduction, detailing that she may have fractured her ribs. The attorney is requesting a full physical evaluation for her client, as well as an X-ray.

According to reporters in the courtroom, Flores appeared with bandages on her head. She reportedly swayed back and forth during the hearing. It was also reported that Maduro had a difficult time sitting down and standing up.

In addition to the injuries to Maduro and Flores, the Trump administration confirmed that some of the American Delta Force operators were also hurt when a firefight erupted with a Cuban force that was stationed near Maduro's home during the operation. The Delta Force troops were struck with bullets and shrapnel; however, they are expected to fully recover. Hegseth told reporters that there were almost 200 U.S. personnel on the ground in Caracas as the operation unfolded.

It has not been confirmed how many Venezuelans or Cubans were killed during the operation. Cuba's government claims that it lost 32 of its military forces and police officers.  Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy, Stephen Miller, told the media on Monday that he believes the number was much higher than that.

Both Maduro and Flores entered not guilty pleas on the drugs and weapons charges against them on Monday. Attorneys for the couple accused the U.S. government of kidnapping them from their home. Judicial experts said that a lengthy litigation process is likely.

What is Happening Now in Venezuela

Meanwhile, Venezuelans remain skittish following the capture of Maduro. The former vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, was sworn in as the South American nation's new leader on Monday. Despite the swearing-in, U.S. President Donald Trump continues to say that he is in charge of Venezuela.

Video footage and images from the ground in Caracas show security forces on foot patrol. Several rounds of gunfire and anti-aircraft fire were reported overnight Monday in the capital city of Caracas. Human rights groups said that the media are being repressed in Caracas.

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado said that she plans to return home soon, despite Miller saying that the U.S. does not plan to install her as Maduro's replacement.

The United Nations (UN) issued a statement expressing that the group is “deeply worried” about Venezuela's future. The UN said that the American military operation undermined the principles of international law.

Trump continues to raise tensions on a global scale as he signals that other countries will be up for grabs in the future. A group of European leaders issued a joint statement on Tuesday offering their support for Greenland and Denmark after Trump said that the U.S. "needs" to annex the Danish territory. This is not the first time that Trump has expressed interest in taking over the island of Greenland.

Several Latin American countries have come to the defense of Venezuela.  Colombian President Gustavo Petro is warning his neighbors that Trump wants to turn these areas in South America into U.S. colonies.

The full Senate and House are both expected to receive a briefing on the operation on Wednesday. The Senate is expected to meet for the classified briefing during the morning in the Senate SCIF (sensitive compartmented information facility). The meeting will be led by Rubio, Hegseth, Bondi, Caine, and Ratcliffe. It is also being reported that the members of the House will receive a similar briefing from these leaders.

While the Gang of Eight and other top congressional leaders were briefed on Monday, the Wednesday meetings will allow other lawmakers to question the legality of the move, as well as learn more about what the future plans in Venezuela entail.

Also happening on Capitol Hill this week, the Senate is scheduled to vote on Thursday on a measure that would limit Trump's war powers in Venezuela. Meanwhile, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright is going to meet with oil executives about the situation in Venezuela.

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