Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro used his first appearance before a federal court in New York to reassert his political authority, insisting he remains Venezuela’s legitimate leader even as he faces serious criminal charges in the United States.
Maduro appeared before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on Monday, where he pleaded not guilty to all charges, including allegations related to drug trafficking and weapons offences. Speaking through an interpreter, he rejected the accusations and challenged the basis of the case against him.
“I am innocent. I’m not guilty. I’m a decent man, the president of my country,” Maduro told the court, according to the BBC, adding emphatically, “I am still president.”
U.S. prosecutors have filed a four-count indictment against Maduro, accusing him of narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess such weapons. The charges are among the most serious ever brought by U.S. authorities against a sitting foreign head of state.
The courtroom proceedings unfolded against a charged political backdrop, with demonstrators gathering outside the courthouse, waving Venezuelan flags and chanting slogans, reflecting sharply divided views over sovereignty, accountability and U.S. involvement in Venezuela’s affairs.
Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, who was apprehended alongside him over the weekend, also appeared in court. She entered a not-guilty plea to similar drug trafficking and weapons-related charges, aligning her defence with her husband’s position.
By using the court appearance to reaffirm his presidency, Maduro appeared to frame the case as more than a criminal prosecution, portraying it instead as a political confrontation over who has the authority to judge him.
According to The New York Times, Maduro also told the court that he had been “kidnapped,” a claim U.S. officials have not publicly addressed.
Earlier, SaharaReporters reported that U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced the indictment of Maduro and Flores following a U.S. military operation that allegedly led to their capture. Details surrounding the operation, including reports of military strikes in Venezuela, have not been independently verified.
In a statement shared on X, Bondi confirmed that the charges were filed in the Southern District of New York, stating: “Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York.”
She added that Maduro faces charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons-related offences against the United States, stressing that both defendants would be prosecuted in U.S. courts.
“They will face the full force of American justice,” Bondi said.
