Maduro's Denial of Drug Trafficking Charges in New York

During his initial court appearance in New York on Monday, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro entered a plea of ​​not guilty to drug trafficking allegations made by the United States. He asserted his innocence, claiming he had been kidnapped, according to reports. In his statement to the court, Maduro declared, “I am a decent man, the constitutional president of my country.” Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores, were reportedly taken by US military forces in a nighttime operation over the weekend.

They faced US District Judge Alvin K Hellerstein for an arraignment on charges that include alleged narcoterrorism. Flores also pleaded not guilty during the session, and neither of them requested bail or release. The judge has set the next court date for Maduro on March 17. In Caracas, Nicolás Maduro's son, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, addressed the National Assembly, claiming that his father had been “kidnapped” by the US and called for “international solidarity” for his return. During the Assembly's installation session, Maduro Guerra emphasized that the US operation infringed upon Venezuela's sovereignty and warned of potential implications for other nations. “If we normalize the kidnapping of a head of state, no country is safe,” he stated, highlighting the global threat posed by such actions.