In a dramatic first appearance before the U.S. judicial system, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro mounted a direct challenge to American legal authority, asserting his status as the nation’s legitimate head of state despite facing serious criminal charges. The proceeding took place in a Manhattan federal courtroom presided over by U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein.
Maduro, speaking through a court-appointed interpreter, entered a formal plea of not guilty to multiple indictments including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine trafficking, and weapons-related offenses. He characterized his presence in the courtroom as the result of an unlawful military seizure from his homeland, vehemently maintaining his innocence throughout the hearing.
The Venezuelan leader appeared alongside his wife, Cilia Flores, who similarly pleaded not guilty while identifying herself as Venezuela’s First Lady. Both defendants remain in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center pending further proceedings.
Defense attorney Barry Pollack signaled forthcoming legal challenges, arguing that Maduro’s transfer to U.S. custody constituted an illegal military abduction. The defense team intends to contest both U.S. jurisdiction and claims of head-of-state immunity, with Maduro describing himself as a ‘prisoner of war’ during the hearing.
Judge Hellerstein acknowledged that questions regarding the legality of Maduro’s detention could be addressed in subsequent proceedings while outlining the defendant’s constitutional rights. Maduro responded that he was learning about these rights for the first time in the courtroom.
The judicial confrontation unfolds against the backdrop of the Trump administration’s increasingly hardline stance toward Venezuela, with the U.S. president asserting American control over the situation and warning of consequences for non-cooperation. The administration’s simultaneous focus on Venezuela’s substantial oil reserves has drawn criticism from regional leaders and analysts, who suggest strategic and economic considerations are inextricably linked to the legal prosecution.