New York, 6 January – Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, who was brought to New York by the United States to face drug-related terrorism charges, appeared before a US federal judge and declared his innocence, describing himself as a “war prisoner.”
On Monday, under tight security, Maduro was presented in court for the first time. Through a translator, he stated, “I am a kidnapped President. I am a war prisoner.”
On Saturday morning, US Delta Force operatives conducted a precise military operation to detain Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from a Venezuelan military base and transported them by plane to New York.
The court hearing was procedural. Both Maduro and Flores denied all charges listed in the 25-page indictment, asserting their innocence.
Maduro said, “I am innocent. I have committed no crime. I am a decent person and remain the President of my country.”
Cilia Flores also addressed the court, stating, “I am the First Lady of the Republic of Venezuela.”
When Maduro began speaking about his alleged kidnapping, Judge Alvin Hellerstein interrupted, instructing him to only state his identity in court.
Maduro’s lawyer, Barry Pollock, argued in court that questions about the legality of arresting a sitting President should be raised, emphasizing Maduro’s sovereign immunity and questioning the legitimacy of his military capture.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the operation as law enforcement, not a war action.
Maduro and Flores have been placed in a federal detention centre, conditions of which have drawn criticism even from the judge. Once a powerful ruler, Maduro now appeared like an ordinary inmate, dressed in simple clothing and accompanied by security personnel.
Entering the courtroom surrounded by US marshals, Maduro greeted everyone in Spanish with “Buenos días,” meaning “Good day.”
Flores had a bandage on her forehead. Her lawyer, Mark Donnelly, stated she was injured during her capture and may have broken ribs.
The main charges against Maduro and Flores include a Narco-Terrorism conspiracy, allegedly involving the use of Venezuela’s military and intelligence agencies to traffic cocaine shipments into the United States. They also face accusations of possessing machine guns and dangerous weapons, as well as collaborating with Colombian terrorist groups. Some charges carry the possibility of the death penalty if proven guilty.
Maduro is also accused of money laundering connected to drug proceeds, while Flores faces allegations of accepting bribes from drug trafficking gangs.