Ousted Venezuelan leader, Nicolás Maduro has entered a not guilty plea in his first court appearance in New York after being captured in a US military operation.
Maduro pleaded not guilty to all the charges he is faced with. Four counts were listed on the indictment, including narco-terrorism conspiracy and possession of machine guns and destructive devices.
The ousted leader, who faces drugs and weapons charges, told the judge via an interpreter that he’s “still the President of Venezuela.”
“I’m innocent. I’m not guilty. I’m a decent man, the President of my country.”
Nicolás Maduro
His wife, Cilia Flores, who was also seized alongside him over the weekend, also pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and weapons charges.
Maduro’s lawyer said that his client is not seeking to be released on bail, but he may at a later time.
Within minutes of his first federal court appearance, ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro stood before a judge and said, “I was captured at my home in Caracas, Venezuela.”
The statement previews what is likely to be one of the main defenses: that his dead of night arrest in a foreign country by US law enforcement – a “military abduction,” in his attorney’s words – violated the law.
It’s not the first time that a defendant has made this argument. Over three decades ago, Panama’s Manuel Noriega accused the US of violating both international law and due process protections by invading Panama and arresting him abroad.
However, that argument was unsuccessful, as the courts refused to consider the legality of the Panama invasion itself and only focused on the allegations in Noriega’s indictment. Whether courts will reconsider that precedent in Maduro’s case remains to be seen.
Crowds of people gathered near the New York courthouse where ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro appeared.
Two groups divided into opposite pens were on scene to demonstrate, some cheering on his capture and others protesting against it.
According to reports, the next hearing in the case is scheduled for 17 March, with the judge ordering Maduro to appear again.
Maduro’s Son Calls For International Solidarity
Meanwhile, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, son of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, said that his father was “kidnapped” by the United States and called for “international solidarity” with him so he can return to the South American country.
During his speech, Maduro Guerra said that the operation violated Venezuela’s sovereignty and warned that it could happen in another country.
“If we normalize the kidnapping of a head of state, no country is safe. Today it’s Venezuela, tomorrow it could be any nation that refuses to submit. This is not a regional problem, it is a direct threat to global stability, to humanity and to the sovereign equality of nations.
“People of the world, I say to you: international solidarity with Nicolás, with Cilia, with Venezuela, is not an optional political gesture, it is an ethical and legal duty. Silence in the face of these violations implicates those who remain silent and weakens the international system that everyone claims to defend.”
Nicolás Maduro Guerra
Maduro Guerra also referred to being included in the latest US indictment against his father, Flores and others, who are accused of drug trafficking and weapons offenses.
Maduro Guerra rejected the charges. “My family and I are being persecuted,” he said.
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