Captured Venezuelan Leader Makes First US Court Appearance, Denies Charges
- Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had appeared in a Manhattan courtroom and pleaded not guilty to drug and weapons charges
- Maduro had described himself as a “president and prisoner of war” during a tense exchange with a member of the public
- The Trump administration had accused Maduro of overseeing Venezuelan criminal networks and blamed him for migrant flows into the United States
Nicolás Maduro made a dramatic first appearance in a Manhattan courtroom on Monday, January 5, to confront charges of drug trafficking and weapons offences while insisting he remains Venezuela’s legitimate president.
He appeared in handcuffs, accompanied by his wife, Cilia Flores, and surrounded by heavily armed federal agents, drawing a packed crowd of journalists and members of the public.
Source: Getty Images
The hearing lasted 40 minutes, according to the BBC, during which both Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty.
“I’m innocent. I’m a decent man,” Maduro declared. Flores, visibly injured from their weekend arrest, added that she was “completely innocent.”
Maduro calls himself prisoner of war
The proceedings turned tense when a man in the public gallery shouted that Maduro would “pay” for his alleged crimes. Maduro responded in Spanish, “I am a president and prisoner of war,” while Flores remained quieter, her face bandaged near the eyes and forehead. The individual was then escorted out of the courtroom.
Maduro and Flores were seized from their Caracas compound over the weekend and transported to the United States via a special forces operation.
They were first seen at a Manhattan helipad before being escorted into an armoured vehicle en route to the federal courthouse.
US claims Maduro leads drug operations
The Trump administration has blamed Maduro for allowing hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants to enter the United States. Officials have also linked him to major drug flows, including fentanyl and cocaine, through Venezuelan criminal networks designated as Foreign Terrorist Organisations. Maduro denies the accusations, calling them a pretext for the US to target Venezuela’s oil reserves.
Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven crude oil reserves, and oil revenues fund over half of the national budget.
However, exports have suffered from sanctions, poor investment, and mismanagement within the state-run oil company.
Political fallout in Venezuela and US
Back in Venezuela, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president and hailed Maduro and Flores as “heroes.”
In Washington, top lawmakers were briefed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, drawing mixed reactions. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called the US plan “vague and unsatisfying,” while House Speaker Mike Johnson said it represented a demand for changes in governance, not an outright regime change.
Monday’s hearing underscored the high-stakes political and legal battle surrounding Maduro, highlighting both the US’s efforts to hold him accountable and the Venezuelan government’s insistence on his legitimacy.
Source: Legit.ng
