'I Am the President’: Maduro, Wife Plead 'Not Guilty' in US Court; Next Hearing Set for March 17

New Delhi: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, appeared before a New York federal court on Monday, during which a US judge set March 17 as the date for the next hearing in their case, marking the next phase in a highly anticipated legal battle.

For their first appearance since being apprehended by US officials, the pair was taken under heavy armed security from the Brooklyn detention facility to a Manhattan courtroom for a brief arraignment. 

Speaking to the court, Maduro identified himself as the president of Venezuela while donning a blue jail uniform. “I am a decent man, the president of my country,” he said, adding, “I was captured.” When asked to enter his plea, Maduro said, “I am innocent. I am not guilty of anything that is mentioned here.”

Flores, 69, also confessed not guilty. She introduced herself as Venezuela's first lady and declared herself "completely innocent" of all charges while speaking in Spanish via an interpreter. 

Flores’ Health Issues Raised as Hearing Ends

The hearing concluded at 12:31 p.m. after Flores’ attorney, Mark Donnelly, informed the court that his client was facing health and medical issues that would require attention. Donnelly said Flores may be experiencing from a rib fracture or serious bruises and may need a full X-ray.

Maduro and Flores decided to stay in custody for the time being. A bail application could be reviewed at a later time, according to their attorneys.

Maduro Says He Was Not Told of His Rights

​​Maduro constantly claimed to be Venezuela's leader during the proceedings. He once admitted to the court that he had not been notified of his rights and had not read the charge against him.

“I did not know of these rights,” he said through an interpreter. “Your honor is informing me of them now.”

After Maduro entered his plea, US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein asked Flores to confirm her identity. After stating her name, she said in Spanish, through an interpreter, “I am first lady of the Republic of Venezuela.” Asked to enter a plea, she responded, “Not guilty. Completely innocent.”

Charges, Arrest Timeline and Global Reaction

A government prosecutor presented the custody schedule in court, stating that Maduro and Flores were formally placed under law enforcement custody on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. The same day, at 4:31 p.m., their aircraft touched down in New York.

The arraignment comes after Maduro was charged with crimes by the US, including possession of machine weapons and destructive devices, conspiracy to import cocaine, and narco-terrorism. Maduro is accused by prosecutors of coordinating cocaine trafficking with foreign criminal organizations, including the FARC rebels in Colombia, the Sinaloa and Zetas cartels in Mexico, and other networks.

Maduro’s legal team dismissed the allegations, calling the case politically motivated and part of long-standing US efforts to damage his government since Venezuela’s contested 2018 elections. Maduro was first charged by US authorities in 2020, and Flores was added as a co-defendant in a fresh indictment that was made public this past Saturday.

Venezuelan authorities have issued emergency orders to detain anyone backing the US operation. China and Russia have criticized the US action, and the UN Security Council has convened to consider the operation's legality and ramifications. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres questioned whether the operation adhered to international law and issued a warning about possible unrest in Venezuela.

Delcy Rodriguez Takes Charge As Acting Venezuela President

Venezuela Vice President Delcy Rodriguez is sworn in as acting president before the Venezuelan National Assembly. The oath was administered by Parliamentary President Jorge Rodriguez. The move was executed out under the authority granted by Maduro, who approved Rodriguez and the parliamentary leadership to run the country in his absence. 

The acting leader stated that she was taking the oath with a heavy heart because she believed that First Lady Cilia Flores and President Nicolas Maduro had been “kidnapped.” 

“I come as the executive vice president of the constitutional president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro Moros, to take the oath of office.”

This comes as Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores are being sued in the United States. 

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