'Stunning moment': CNN anchor taken aback by Maduro's words inside courtroom
Venezuela's captured President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores attend their arraignment with defense lawyers Barry Pollack and Mark Donnelly to face U.S. federal charges including narco-terrorism, conspiracy, drug trafficking, money laundering and others, at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in Manhattan, New York City on Jan. 5, 2026 in this courtroom sketch. REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg

A CNN anchor was shocked by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's reaction to a protester's comment inside a Manhattan courthouse on Monday.

CNN's Boris Sanchez spoke with CNN legal analyst and attorney Laura Coates about a moment that happened at the end of the hearing after Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty.

"There have been protests right off camera where there were people who were debating the legality of having removed him from Venezuela, others who were talking about Maduro, others who were talking about no blood for oil. There is a variety of opinions," Coates said.

"But inside that courtroom, one of our news associates witnessed a protestor at the very end as they were being escorted out, stand up and confront Maduro and essentially tell him, 'you will pay for what you have done.' Maduro, responding to this person, pointing his finger up towards the sky, telling him he is a man of God and remains the president of the Republic of Venezuela," Coates added.

Sanchez paused for a moment, then responded.

"A really stunning moment inside that courtroom. Laura Coates, Evan Perez, thank you both so much," Sanchez said.