A small group of protesters outside the courthouse, waving Venezuelan flags, protested the US move as Maduro's trial continued. The leftist leader and his wife are accused of illegally transporting thousands of tons of cocaine into the US in collusion with drug traffickers.
We use Google Cloud Translation Services. Google requires we provide the following disclaimer relating to use of this service:
This service may contain translations powered by Google. Google disclaims all warranties related to the translations, expressed or implied, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and noninfringement.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro pleaded "innocent" in a New York City federal court on Monday. He described himself as a "decent man" and said he was kidnapped from his home in Caracas on January 3.
Maduro and his wife were brought to court to face charges of “drug terrorism.” Their first statements were made at 12 p.m. local time on Monday before U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein. Maduro and his wife, handcuffed and dressed in khakis, were led into court by officers. They were given headsets to translate the judge’s English into Spanish. Maduro has pleaded not guilty, saying, “I was kidnapped. I am innocent and a decent man. I am the president of my country.” A small group of people outside the courtroom, waving Venezuelan flags, protested the U.S. move as Maduro’s trial continued. The leftist leader and his wife are accused of illegally transporting thousands of tons of cocaine into the United States in collusion with drug traffickers. His son and three other associates have also been indicted on the charges. If convicted, he could face life in prison. Some observers say there is no evidence linking Maduro to the cartels. Maduro's lawyers have said they will challenge the legality of his arrest. They argue that Maduro is immune from such charges because he is a sovereign head of a foreign state. However, the United States and some other countries do not recognize him as Venezuela's legitimate leader. UN expresses concern
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concern about Maduro's capture at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday. "I am deeply concerned by the lack of respect for the rules of international law in the context of the military operation of January 3. The UN Charter prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State," Guterres said.
Venezuela's ambassador to the UN, Samuel Moncada, accused the US of carrying out an illegal armed attack against his country. Moncada said there had been bombings, destruction of civilian infrastructure, loss of civilian and military life, and the “kidnapping” of Maduro and his wife in Venezuela. He said the abduction of the current head of state violated a fundamental principle of international law, the personal immunity of leaders in office. He warned that such actions set a dangerous precedent for all countries.
Russia and China strongly condemned Maduro’s abduction. They called for Maduro’s release. Similarly, US allies France and Colombia have also expressed particular concern. They said Washington’s military action undermined international law.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz defended Maduro’s abduction, describing it as a legal operation. “The United States has arrested a drug trafficker. Now he will be tried in the United States,” he said.
