The sound of rattling shackles could be heard just before Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro entered a courtroom in New York City for the first time.
He then informed the throngs of journalists and onlookers that he had been “kidnapped.”
Shortly after his arrival, Judge Alvin Hellerstein requested Maduro to verify his identity so the proceedings could commence.
“I am, sir, Nicolás Maduro. I am the president of the Republic of Venezuela and I am here kidnapped since January 3rd,” he stated in a composed Spanish while an interpreter relayed it to the court. “I was taken from my home in Caracas, Venezuela.”
The 92-year-old judge quickly interrupted to inform Maduro that there would be a “time and a place to get into all of this.”
During the intense 40-minute arraignment on Monday afternoon, Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores, entered not guilty pleas to drug and weapon allegations.
“I am innocent. I am a good man,” Maduro asserted, while Flores claimed she was “completely innocent.”
The 63-year-old and his spouse were taken to a jail in New York after being detained by US forces at their estate in Venezuela on Saturday, as part of an unexpected overnight operation that also targeted military facilities.
Wearing blue and orange jail attire and khaki trousers, the pair used headphones to hear a Spanish translation during the hearing, with an attorney positioned between them. Maduro diligently took notes on a yellow legal pad, which he requested the judge to allow him to keep after the hearing.
As Maduro entered the room – the very same federal courtroom where Sean “Diddy” Combs was tried and convicted a few months prior – he turned to acknowledge several audience members.
He maintained a composed and emotionless demeanor throughout the proceedings, even at the conclusion, when a spectator in the public area suddenly shouted that Maduro would “pay” for his actions.
“I’m a president and prisoner of war,” he yelled towards the audience member in Spanish. The person was then escorted out of the room in tears.
The proceedings were also emotional for others present in the courtroom. Maibort Petit, a reporter from Venezuela who has covered Maduro’s tenure, mentioned that the US missile strikes during Maduro’s capture damaged her family residence near Fuerte Tiuna in Caracas.
She expressed that it felt surreal to see her former leader being escorted into the courtroom in prison clothing by US marshals.
Maduro’s wife, Flores, remained much quieter, with bandages near her eyes and forehead for injuries her lawyers claimed she suffered during their weekend arrest.
She spoke softly with her blonde hair styled in a bun while her attorneys requested that she receive proper medical attention, including an X-ray for potentially bruised ribs and a fracture.
Maduro and his wife did not pursue bail during the proceedings, but they can do so at a future date, meaning they will remain in federal custody.
The US has charged Maduro with conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
Maduro was charged alongside his wife, son, and several others. The next court date for the case has been set for March 17.
