Maduro Appears in U.S. Court for the First Time: "I Am Innocent...I Was Kidnapped"

"Still the President of My Country"
Pleads Not Guilty to Four Charges Including Drug Trafficking
First Lady Also Asserts Innocence

Nicol?s Maduro, the President of Venezuela (63), who was arrested by the U.S. military and extradited to the United States, appeared for the first time at a New York court on the 5th (local time), claiming he had been kidnapped and denying all criminal charges against him.

AP Yonhap News

President Maduro appeared at his arraignment at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan at noon that day, declaring, "I am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a dignified person," and pleaded not guilty to all four criminal charges against him, including conspiracy to traffic narcotics.

President Maduro insisted, "I am still the president of my country," and claimed he had been kidnapped from his homeland and brought to the court.

First Lady Cilia Flores, who appeared in court with him, also described herself as "the First Lady of Venezuela" and declared, "I am not guilty. I am completely innocent," asserting her innocence regarding the charges brought against her.

Attorney Barry Pollack stated that he was not requesting release at this time and had not applied for bail, but left open the possibility of doing so in the future. He had previously represented Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks.

The U.S. Southern District Attorney's Office had previously indicted President Maduro on four charges: conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive lethal weapons.

Prosecutors believe that President Maduro conspired with drug cartels to smuggle thousands of tons of cocaine into the United States. If convicted of these charges, he could face life imprisonment.

The arraignment was presided over by Magistrate Judge Alvin Hellerstein (92). Appointed in 1998 by then-President Bill Clinton, Judge Hellerstein has overseen drug-related cases involving President Maduro for over a decade. The next hearing for President Maduro and his wife is scheduled for March 17.

Meanwhile, Delcy Rodr?guez, the Vice President of Venezuela (56), was sworn in as acting president on the same day to assume executive authority in President Maduro's absence. Acting President Rodr?guez took the oath of office at the Venezuelan National Assembly in Caracas and stated, "I stand here with sorrow for the suffering the Venezuelan people have endured due to this illegal military aggression."

On the same day, she referred to Maduro, who appeared as a defendant in the New York court on charges including conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism, as "President," and added, "I feel deep anguish over the abduction of two heroes, President Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, who are being held hostage by the United States."