Nicolas Maduro, wife plead not guilty to drug trafficking charges; ousted Venezuelan president says ‘I was captured'

Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty on Monday to narco-terrorism charges, following his dramatic capture ordered by President Donald Trump, an event that shook global leaders and forced officials in Caracas into a hurried response.

The 63-year-old entered not-guilty pleas in a New York federal court to four criminal charges, comprising narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices. Maduro's wife Cilia Flores also pleaded not guilty.

Maduro, his hands restrained with zip ties, and his wife Cilia Flores were escorted by armed guards in tactical gear from a Brooklyn detention facility to a helicopter transporting them to court.

What happened in court?

The hearing began at 12:02 pm (1702 GMT) in Manhattan federal court, where the judge opened proceedings by outlining the charges listed in the indictment. Dressed in orange and beige prison clothing, Maduro followed the proceedings through an interpreter using headphones.

Judge Hellerstein then asked Maduro to stand and verify his identity, to which he responded in Spanish. The judge also informed the couple of their right to notify the Venezuelan consulate about their arrest.

Speaking through an interpreter, Maduro declared, “I am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man. I am still president of my country”, before US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein interrupted him, according to Reuters. As per AP, he also mentioned, “I was captured.”

Prosecutors accuse him of running a cocaine-smuggling network that allegedly worked with violent groups such as Mexico’s Sinaloa and Zetas cartels, Colombia’s FARC rebels, and Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang.

Maduro has consistently rejected the accusations, arguing they are a pretext for imperialist ambitions targeting Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.

Maduro was brought before a federal judge in Lower Manhattan for the initial hearing in his criminal case, marking the start of an extraordinary legal process that could take months or longer before a trial begins.

The court scheduled Maduro’s next appearance for March 17.

What do prosecutors claim?

Prosecutors allege that Maduro has been involved in drug trafficking since his time in Venezuela’s National Assembly beginning in 2000, continuing through his period as foreign minister and after his election in 2013 as the successor to late President Hugo Chávez.

US federal prosecutors in New York first charged him in 2020 as part of a broader, long-running narcotics trafficking investigation involving current and former Venezuelan officials as well as Colombian guerrilla groups. A revised indictment released on Saturday included additional details and new co-defendants, among them Cilia Flores.

The United States has regarded Maduro as an illegitimate ruler since he claimed victory in the 2018 presidential election, which was widely criticised over allegations of serious irregularities.

Meanwhile, global leaders and US lawmakers reacted to the unprecedented seizure of a sitting head of state, Venezuelan authorities issued an emergency order on Monday directing police to locate and arrest anyone accused of supporting Saturday’s US operation.

The developments were also debated at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday, where Russia, China condemned the raid and called for Maduro's release.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres voiced concerns over potential instability in Venezuela and questioned the legality of Trump’s action, describing it as the most significant US intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama.