A defiant Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty to federal drug trafficking charges in a Manhattan courtroom on Monday (Jan. 5), with the former Venezuelan president declaring himself a "war prisoner" who had been "kidnapped" by U.S. authorities.
Maduro and Flores were arrested on Saturday morning in a U.S. military raid that reportedly killed dozens of people, and were transported to New York that day. They were held in a federal jail in Brooklyn until Monday morning, when they were transported to Manhattan for arraignment.
Complex was on the scene for the hearing, which took place in a federal courtroom packed with media, members of the public, and a large number of law enforcement agents. Maduro and Flores were shackled at the ankles and dressed in black jumpsuits and orange shirts. Maduro, represented by attorney Barry Pollack, took notes throughout the proceedings. Both Maduro and Flores spoke through a translator during the arraignment.
Judge Alvin Hellerstein began the proceedings by laying out the charges against Maduro. When asked by the judge to identify himself, Maduro answered at length.
"I am Nicolás Maduro Moros. I am the president of Venezuela," he began. "I was captured at my home in Caracas. I have been kidnapped on January 3rd. I am a war prisoner."
At that point, Judge Hellerstein interrupted, and asked Maduro how he intended to plead to the four counts against him — one count each of narcoterrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
"I am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man. I am the president of my country," Maduro responded, pleading not guilty to all counts.
Cilia Flores was next up. Identifying herself as "First Lady of the Republic of Venezuela," she pleaded "not guilty, completely innocent" to the three counts she is facing.
Neither defendant made a bail application at the arraignment, though their attorneys indicated that attempts at release would be forthcoming at some future point. Pollack indicated that he was ready to file "voluminous and complicated" legal motions in the coming weeks objecting to what he called his client's "military abduction."
Both Maduro and Flores asked for medical attention, with Flores' attorneys specifically mentioning that she had "sustained significant injuries during her abduction," including a possible fracture.
The next hearing in the case is set for March 17.
The indictment against Maduro, Flores, Maduro's son Nicolás, and three other defendants accuses them of taking part in a conspiracy to import "tons of cocaine into the United States" over the course of several decades. They are alleged to have teamed up with organizations designated by the U.S. as terrorist groups in the process, including the the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia ("FARC") and Tren de Aragua ("TdA"). Many experts have called Maduro and Flores' arrests illegal under international law.
In the days since the arrests, President Donald Trump has proclaimed that the U.S. is now "in charge" of Venezuela. He has also been open about his desire to tap into the country's oil reserves.