Venezuela’s embattled leader, Nicolás Maduro, used his first appearance in a New York courtroom to assert his political legitimacy, declaring that he is still the country’s president despite facing serious criminal charges in the United States.
Standing trial on allegations linked to drug trafficking and weapons offences, Maduro flatly rejected the accusations, telling the court, “I am still president,” before pleading not guilty to all counts. Speaking through an interpreter, he described himself as innocent and law-abiding, insisting he is “a decent man” and the rightful leader of Venezuela.
The indictment against Maduro includes four charges, among them narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices—making it one of the most far-reaching criminal cases ever brought by the U.S. against a foreign head of state.
Outside the courthouse, supporters and protesters converged, waving Venezuelan flags and chanting slogans, turning the proceedings into a charged political spectacle as much as a legal one.
Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, who was arrested alongside him over the weekend, also pleaded not guilty to similar drug and weapons charges, presenting a united front with her husband.
By repeatedly asserting his presidency from the dock, Maduro appeared to frame the trial as more than a legal matter, portraying it instead as a battle over sovereignty and who has the authority to hold him accountable. The New York Times reported that he also claimed he was “kidnapped” during his arrest.
Earlier, SaharaReporters quoted U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi as announcing the indictment, which was filed in the Southern District of New York. Bondi accused Maduro and Flores of leading an international drug trafficking and weapons operation.
The arrests followed a U.S. military operation, which President Donald Trump said involved coordinated action between American armed forces and law enforcement agencies. Bondi said both suspects would be tried in the United States, stressing that they would “face the full wrath of American justice” in U.S. courts.
As the case moves forward, it is expected to intensify long-standing political tensions surrounding Venezuela’s leadership while testing the limits of U.S. jurisdiction over foreign heads of state.
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