Maduro and Flores plead not guilty in Manhattan federal court – JURIST

Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, former president and first lady of Venezuela, made brief statements during their arraignment in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York Monday.

The couple pleaded not guilty to all charges levied against them in a new indictment, which alleges narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and two weapons charges. Maduro is charged with all four crimes. Flores is accused of cocaine importation and the weapons charges, but not narco-terrorism, the charge that carries the largest sentence. The indictment names four others, who were not arraigned today.

“I am president of the Republic of Venezuela… I was captured at my home in Caracas, Venezuela. I am a kidnapped president, prisoner of war. I am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man,” said Maduro.

US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein interrupted Maduro, saying that the court will discuss “the legal sufficiency of what was done” later. The next hearing is scheduled for March 17.

Maduro’s attorney, Barry Pollack, said that there are “issues about the legality of his military abduction.”

Flores said, “I am First Lady of the Republic of Venezuela.” When asked for her plea on the three charges that she faces, she replied, “Not guilty — completely innocent.”

Early Saturday morning, US forces attacked Venezuelan capital Caracas and captured Maduro and Flores. They were transported to the US and held in Metropolitan Detention Center, Brooklyn, awaiting arraignment. Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has been sworn in as interim president.

Maduro was originally indicted in the Southern District of New York in 2020. During US President Donald Trump’s first term, the US State Department initially offered a $15 million reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest. Former US president Joe Biden’s administration increased the reward to $25 million on January 10, 2025. The reward increased again, to $50 million, on August 7, 2025. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio does not believe that Maduro is legally the president of Venezuela.

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