ALBAWABA- In a defiant first appearance before a U.S. federal court, abducted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges of narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices, rejecting the legitimacy of the case and asserting his status as Venezuela’s head of state.
The 63-year-old leader appeared in shackles before U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein at a Manhattan federal courthouse, responding in Spanish through an interpreter. “I am not guilty. I am a decent man. I am still the president of my country,” Maduro told the court.
As he was led out of the courtroom, he added, “I am a prisoner of war,” drawing cheers from protesters outside waving Venezuelan flags and demanding his release.
Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, who also pleaded not guilty to related charges, identified herself to the court as Venezuela’s “first lady.”
The couple, dressed in prison uniforms, did not request bail. Judge Hellerstein ordered them held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn pending trial, a process that court officials said could take more than a year.
Represented by Washington-based attorney Barry Pollack, Maduro described his capture as a “kidnapping,” challenging the court’s jurisdiction by invoking his status as a sovereign leader.
No health concerns were raised during the hearing, though observers noted Maduro’s gray-streaked hair and calm, composed demeanor despite appearing in restraints. Pollack, known for representing high-profile defendants including WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, declined to comment on his client’s physical condition after the arraignment.
The case stems from the U.S. abduction of Maduro on January 3, 2026, when American special forces carried out a midnight raid on his residence in Caracas and transferred him to the United States.
President Donald Trump authorized the operation, citing U.S. indictments filed in 2020 that accuse Maduro of leading the so-called “Cartel of the Suns,” an alleged drug-trafficking network blamed for funneling large quantities of cocaine into the United States.
The operation, which reportedly involved airstrikes and naval transport, triggered swift international backlash. Russia and China denounced it as a violation of Venezuelan sovereignty during an emergency session of the UN Security Council, while several other states warned it could set a dangerous precedent in international law.
Trump has warned of further action if Venezuela’s interim leadership under Delcy Rodríguez resists cooperation, insisting Washington is “in charge” until a political transition to opposition figure Edmundo González.
The unprecedented prosecution of a sitting head of state has reignited global outcry over presidential immunity and the limits of U.S. extraterritorial power, drawing comparisons to the 1989 capture and trial of Panama’s Manuel Noriega.
