BBC NEWs
05/01/26
Venezuela’s Maduro tells US court ‘I am still president’ as he pleads not guilty to drugs charges
BBC NEWS
05/01/26
People protest against U.S. strikes against Venezuela and the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro
Summary
Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro says “I am still president” as he pleads not guilty to drug trafficking and other charges in his first appearance at a New York court
He and his wife Cilia Flores were seized from their Caracas compound on Saturday and flown to the US as part of a special forces operation – here’s what happened
Today’s hearing ended with a tense exchange between a member of the public and Maduro, who said he was a “prisoner of war”, our reporter in court says
Outside, protesters have been gathering, with some brandishing placards – one reads “USA Hands-off Venezuela”, while another says “Thank You President Trump”
Earlier, dramatic images showed the pair being transferred to the courthouse in handcuffs, surrounded by armed officers
Meanwhile, Venezuela’s new leader Delcy Rodríguez is due to be sworn in before the country’s National Assembly
Aerial footage shows Maduro and wife en route to New York court
Maduro and wife, handcuffed, being taken to helicopter
Live Reporting
Edited by Tinshui Yeung, Caitlin Wilson and Ben Hatton, with Madeline Halpert in New York and Nicole Kolster in Caracas
Recap: Maduro and his wife both plead not guilty in New York court
published at 18:19
North America editor, reporting from outside the New York courthouse
Handcuffed and wearing tan coloured prison clothing Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were surrounded by heavy security as they were moved from a Brooklyn prison to the courthouse in Manhattan.
They were deliberately paraded in front of live TV cameras as the couple were first driven in convoy to a heliport, where they were flanked by heavily armed police and federal agents as they were transferred onto a helicopter. Maduro appeared to be limping slightly as he was made to bend over and bow his head whilst boarding the chopper.
Maduro and his wife are facing charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy and weapons charges.
The indictment against them states that for more than 25 years they have enriched themselves by working with international drug traffickers to ship illicit drugs into the US.
In the past hour they have both plead not guilty to the charges against them.
Speaking in Spanish, Maduro called himself the president of Venezuela and complained that he had been captured from his home in Caracas before he was interrupted by the judge.
The American attorney general, Pam Bondi, has said the former Venezuelan leader will soon face the full wrath of American justice.
Donald Trump has said Maduro will “go through a slog of a trial”. But it is likely to take years before a prosecution could be completed.