Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty Monday to all charges they face in court in the Southern District of New York (SDNY) during their first appearance.
“I am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man,” Maduro declared when asked in court.
Maduro pleads not guilty in New York
Captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrives at a Manhattan heliport, as he heads toward a New York City courthouse for an initial appearance to face U.S. federal charges including narco-terrorism and drug trafficking.
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The Venezuelan leader said he had not seen his indictment before appearing in court and was unaware of his rights.
Shortly thereafter, Cilia Flores declared herself “not guilty, completely innocent”.
At the beginning of the hearing, questioned by federal judge Alvin Hellerstein, 92, the president introduced himself in Spanish as the president of Venezuela and assured that he was “sequestered” on U.S. soil.
“I am the president of Venezuela and I consider myself a prisoner of war. I was captured in my home in Caracas,” he said.
On the other hand, the lawyers requested medical attention for both of them because, they said, they have “health problems”.
Attorney Mark Donnelly stated that Flores “suffered significant injuries during his abduction” and suggested that he may have a fracture or severe bruising to his ribs.
Maduro and Flores made their first court appearance in New York on Monday after being arrested last Saturday in Caracas in an operation by U.S. forces and transferred to the United States to be tried under U.S. jurisdiction.
The indictment against Maduro for drug trafficking-related offenses, originally filed in 2020, was expanded to include his wife and add more charges.
The new charges accuse him of conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to use such weapons.
His wife is accused of alleged involvement in the coordination of meetings and logistics of the network.
Filed under: Maduro pleads not guilty
With information from EFE
