Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty on January 5 during his first appearance in a U.S. federal court, following his dramatic capture and transfer to the United States on drug trafficking charges.
Speaking before a judge in Manhattan, Maduro insisted on his innocence, declaring, “I am a decent man, the president of my country,” and said he had been “kidnapped” by U.S. forces.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were brought before the Southern District of New York court two days after a surprise U.S. military operation removed them from their residence in Caracas. Both are being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn and are expected to remain in federal custody pending trial.
According to an indictment unsealed on January 3, Maduro faces multiple charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess such weapons. Flores, along with Maduro’s son Nicolás Ernesto Maduro Guerra and three other individuals, was also charged with some of the offenses, though only Maduro faces the narco-terrorism count. To date, only Maduro and Flores have been taken into U.S. custody.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the indictment shortly after the operation. If convicted, Maduro and Flores could each face life sentences.Maduro is represented by attorney Barry Pollack, who recently played a role in securing the release of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Flores’ legal counsel is Mark E. Donnelly, a former federal prosecutor.Maduro had previously been indicted on drug trafficking charges in 2020, also in the Southern District of New York.
At a January 3 press conference, President Donald Trump described the operation as “an assault like people have not seen since World War II,” alleging that Maduro and Flores were responsible for a campaign of “deadly narco-terrorism” against the United States.
However, court records show that Flores has not been charged with narco-terrorism, only with drug and weapons-related offenses.
U.S. officials have frequently referenced the so-called “Cartel de los Soles,” though experts note that it is not a single formal organization but rather a broad term used to describe alleged trafficking networks linked to elements within Venezuela.