Photo: Captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrives at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, as he heads towards the Daniel Patrick Manhattan United States Courthouse for an initial appearance to face U.S. federal charges including narco-terrorism, conspiracy, drug trafficking, money laundering and others in New York City, U.S., January 5, 2026.
Eduardo Munoz | Reuters
- Ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, made their first appearance in a New York federal court to face drug trafficking charges, and pleaded not guilty.
- Maduro and Flores were captured on Saturday by U.S. forces in Venezuela on the orders of President Donald Trump.
- Criminal defense lawyer Barry Pollack is representing Maduro. Pollack previously represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in Assange’s federal criminal case.
- Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton told CNBC, “From the perspective of where I sit, my people and I are completely comfortable with this prosecution.”
Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro appeared in a New York court on Monday afternoon, saying that he had been “kidnapped” with his wife by U.S. forces from their home in Caracas, and that he was a “prisoner of war,” as he pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who is also charged in the case, have been held since they were taken from Venezuela on Saturday after a U.S. strike on the country at the orders of U.S. President Donald Trump. Flores also pleaded not guilty.
“I’m innocent. I am not guilty of anything,” Maduro repeatedly said through a translator to Judge Alvin Hellerstein during his appearance in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.
Flores said, “I am first lady of the Republic of Venezuela.”
“Not guilty. Completely innocent,” Flores replied when asked for her plea.
Flores had a large bruise on her forehead. Her attorney requested that she get medical attention from jail officials for injuries she sustained during her capture Saturday, including an X-ray for her ribs, which are believed to be broken or severely bruised.
The couple agreed to remain in jail without bail for now, but could submit a bail application in the future.
Hellerstein set the next court date for the case on March 17.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, whose office is prosecuting the couple, during an interview Monday morning on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” said, “From the perspective of where I sit, my people and I are completely comfortable with this prosecution.”
Defense lawyer Barry Pollack represented Maduro at the hearing. Pollack previously represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in Assange’s federal criminal case.
Pollack said during the hearing : Maduro “is head of a sovereign state and entitled to the privilege” from that status. Pollack also said that there were “questions about the legality of his military abduction” and that there would be “voluminous” court filings addressing that issue.
Flores is being represented by Mark Donnelly, a former federal prosecutor in Texas.
Maduro, 63, is charged in a federal indictment with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. He has previously denied the allegations.
CNBC
