Deposed Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty on Monday in a Manhattan federal court to four U.S. criminal charges including narco-terrorism, cocaine-importation conspiracy, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices.

Maduro’s court appearance followed a dramatic capture by U.S. forces in Caracas over the weekend that left at least 40 people dead and saw both him and his wife, Cilia Flores, flown to New York for arraignment.

In court, the 63-year-old former leader declared himself “innocent,” “a decent man,” and “still president of my country,” insisting his seizure was tantamount to a kidnapping.

The charges stem from a long-running U.S. criminal case first filed in 2020 that accuses Maduro and associates of partnering with drug cartels and rebel groups to traffic cocaine into the United States, a case now expanded to include his wife and other Venezuelan officials.

Flores also pleaded not guilty and both defendants have not sought bail at this stage, with their next court hearing set for March 17, 2026.

The U.S. operation has triggered global controversy. Several UN Security Council members condemned the military action as a “crime of aggression,” while U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump, defended the move as part of anti-drug efforts and denounced the Maduro government’s corruption.

Protesters have been divided outside the courthouse, with some celebrating the arrest and others decrying U.S. intervention as imperialism.

Maduro’s defense team has signaled plans to challenge the legality of his capture, citing his status as a head of state and raising questions about international law.

The case is expected to unfold over months or possibly years, with legal battles over jurisdiction, extradition issues, and the broader political fallout for U.S.–Venezuela relations and regional stability.

Key Takeaways

Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty in New York to narco-terrorism and related charges.

U.S. forces captured Maduro in Caracas in a raid that provoked international condemnation and protests.

The next scheduled court appearance for the couple is on March 17, 2026

Adapted From

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/05/maduro-pleads-not-guilty

Free Maduro! He is a nice socalist.

2 hours ago, Effective altruism said:

Free Maduro! He is a nice socalist.

Free Maduro! He is a <deleted>, but being a <deleted> is not a federal offence, if it were then there are some notorious others who should be facing the courts...

The crimes with which he is charged were not carried out within the Jurisdiction of the US.

Tiktok video from official CNN account

https://vt.tiktok.com/ZS5aMxYN3/

Vlad supporters hope Trump will help us to catch the leader of one neighboring country in the Vlad’s hemisphere and bring him to the Moscow court. Indeed, if he is really innocent, the court will release him.

The US is back to naked imperialismo...

The US doesn't recognize the International Court of Justice, now they want to play one themselves

If it is a Soros judge , he'll be back in Venezuela in no time.

Rubio described this as an "arrest" action. Is it common to arrest someone then take all their worldly possessions, killing dozens of people in the process?

https://br.usembassy.gov/rubio-this-is-our-hemisphere-and-president-trump-will-not-allow-our-security-to-be-threatened/