Removed Venezuelan official Nicolas Maduro was seen in a New York courtroom on Monday afternoon, claiming he and his spouse were “abducted” by U.S. forces from their residence in Caracas, asserting he was a “prisoner of war,” while he denied charges related to drug trafficking.
Maduro and spouse, Cilia Flores, also implicated in the case, have been detained since their extraction from Venezuela on Saturday following a U.S. operation ordered by President Donald Trump. Flores entered a not guilty plea as well.
“I am innocent. I have done nothing wrong,” Maduro repeatedly declared via a translator to Judge Alvin Hellerstein during his court appearance in Manhattan.
Flores announced, “I am the first lady of the Republic of Venezuela.”
“Not guilty. Absolutely innocent,” Flores responded when queried about her plea.
Flores exhibited a significant bruise on her forehead. Her attorney requested medical assistance from jail officials for injuries incurred during her Saturday capture, including an X-ray for her ribs, suspected to be broken or severely bruised.
The pair agreed to remain incarcerated without bail for the time being but may apply for bail later.
Hellerstein scheduled the subsequent court date for the case on March 17.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, whose office is pursuing the case against the couple, stated in an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” that “From where I stand, my team and I are entirely at ease with this prosecution.”
Defense attorney Barry Pollack represented Maduro during the hearing. Pollack had previously acted for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in his federal criminal case.
Pollack mentioned in court that Maduro “is the leader of a sovereign nation and possesses the entitlement” that comes with such status. He also stated there were “questions regarding the legality of his military capture” and that extensive court documents would address this matter.
Flores is defended by Mark Donnelly, a prior federal prosecutor in Texas.
Maduro, age 63, is charged in a federal indictment with conspiracy for narco-terrorism, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess such weapons. He has previously denied the accusations.
Flores, 69, faces charges related to the cocaine conspiracy and weapon offenses.
Maduro, labeled as the “illegitimate ruler” of Venezuela due to fraudulent electoral processes, is alleged to have collaborated with co-conspirators, narcotics traffickers, and narco-terrorist organizations to import vast quantities of cocaine into the United States.
Maduro and Flores arrived around noon before Hellerstein.
“Nicolas Maduro Moros, the accused, now heads a corrupt, illegitimate administration that has for years exploited governmental authority to safeguard and promote illicit activities, including drug trafficking,” asserts the 25-page indictment.
“This cycle of drug-related corruption fills the pockets of Venezuelan officials and their families, while also serving violent narco-terrorists who operate without consequence on Venezuelan soil and facilitate the production, protection, and transportation of massive amounts of cocaine to the United States,” the indictment states.
Among the alleged overt actions mentioned in the indictment is a gathering attended by Flores around 2007, during which she reportedly “accepted substantial bribes to facilitate a meeting between a major drug trafficker and the director of Venezuela’s National Anti-Drug Office, Nestor Reverol Torres.”
“The trafficker later organized to pay a monthly bribe to Reverol Torres, plus about $100,000 for each flight carrying cocaine to guarantee the flight’s secure passage, a share of which was subsequently paid to Flores de Maduro,” the indictment claims.
“Reverol Torres faces narcotics-related charges in the Eastern District of New York and is presently a fugitive.”
The other individuals indicted alongside him are not in U.S. custody.
Those other defendants include Maduro’s son, Nicolas Ernesto Maduro Guerra; Diosdado Cabello Rondon; Ramon Rodriguez Chacin; and Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores.
Cabello holds the position of Venezuela’s interior minister, previously occupied by Rodriguez.
Guerrero is recognized as the leader of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
The Trump administration has encountered scrutiny regarding Maduro’s capture in his own nation, particularly after Trump recently pardoned former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who in 2024 was convicted of collaborating with drug traffickers and exploiting his governmental role to facilitate the influx of hundreds of tons of cocaine into the United States.
This is an evolving story. Please return for updates.
