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Maduro Pleads Not Guilty, Insists He Remains President of Venezuela

Published January 5, 2026, 18:09
Maduro Pleads Not Guilty, Insists He Remains President of Venezuela

The hearing against Nicolás Maduro has begun at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Courthouse in Manhattan. Maduro, wearing a prisoner's uniform, pleaded not guilty and reiterated that he remains the president of Venezuela. His wife, Cilia Flores, who also attended the court, similarly declared her innocence and identified herself as the First Lady of Venezuela. Maduro's lawyer, Barry Pollack, questioned the legality of his client's arrest, arguing that Venezuela's sovereign rights were violated. Maduro and Flores face charges of conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism, cocaine importation, and weapons possession. The case has sparked international controversy and raises questions about US intervention in the internal affairs of other countries.