'I Was Kidnapped, I Am..': Maduro Pleads Not Guilty In First US Court Appearance

<p data-start="770" data-end="1032">Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro on Monday pleaded not guilty to federal drug trafficking and narco-terrorism charges during his first appearance in a US court, declaring himself &ldquo;innocent&rdquo; and claiming he was kidnapped and brought to America unlawfully. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the president of my country,&rdquo; Maduro told the judge, insisting that his arrest violated international norms. Maduro appeared in a Manhattan federal courtroom wearing a blue jail uniform, with proceedings translated into Spanish via headsets.</p> <div class="flex flex-col text-sm pb-25"> <article class="text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none [--shadow-height:45px] has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none has-data-writing-block:-mt-(--shadow-height) has-data-writing-block:pt-(--shadow-height) [&amp;:has([data-writing-block])&gt;*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id="request-WEB:9e024b16-196a-43bc-999f-ed38c494885d-73" data-testid="conversation-turn-148" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn="assistant"> <div class="text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-10 [--thread-content-margin:--spacing(4)] @w-sm/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(6)] @w-lg/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(16)] px-(--thread-content-margin)"> <div class="[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn" tabindex="-1"> <div class="flex max-w-full flex-col grow"> <div class="min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-1" dir="auto" data-message-author-role="assistant" data-message-id="41c3552f-1b07-478c-8454-da43fcde2bec" data-message-model-slug="gpt-5-2"> <div class="flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[1px]"> <div class="markdown prose dark:prose-invert w-full break-words dark markdown-new-styling"> <h3 data-start="0" data-end="39">Armored Transfer To Manhattan Court</h3> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <p data-start="770" data-end="1032">His wife, who was detained alongside him, was also present during the brief but mandatory hearing that formally initiated the case. The appearance followed a tightly guarded transfer from a Brooklyn detention facility early Monday. A law enforcement motorcade transported Maduro to a nearby field, where he was flown by helicopter to Manhattan before being moved in an armored vehicle to the courthouse complex. US prosecutors have charged Maduro with using drug trafficking as a tool of &ldquo;narco-terrorism&rdquo;, accusations that the Trump administration cited to justify his capture and transfer to New York.</p> <div class="flex flex-col text-sm pb-25"> <article class="text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none [--shadow-height:45px] has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none has-data-writing-block:-mt-(--shadow-height) has-data-writing-block:pt-(--shadow-height) [&amp;:has([data-writing-block])&gt;*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id="request-WEB:9e024b16-196a-43bc-999f-ed38c494885d-74" data-testid="conversation-turn-150" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn="assistant"> <div class="text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-10 [--thread-content-margin:--spacing(4)] @w-sm/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(6)] @w-lg/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(16)] px-(--thread-content-margin)"> <div class="[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn" tabindex="-1"> <div class="flex max-w-full flex-col grow"> <div class="min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-1" dir="auto" data-message-author-role="assistant" data-message-id="a90cb201-83b4-4916-94b6-4f388c452798" data-message-model-slug="gpt-5-2"> <div class="flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[1px]"> <div class="markdown prose dark:prose-invert w-full break-words dark markdown-new-styling"> <h3 data-start="0" data-end="40">Immunity Claim, Lengthy Legal Battle</h3> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <p data-start="770" data-end="1032">The case is expected to trigger a prolonged legal battle. Maduro&rsquo;s legal team is likely to challenge the legality of his arrest, arguing that he enjoys immunity as a sitting head of state. However, Washington does not recognize him as Venezuela&rsquo;s legitimate president following the disputed 2024 election. If the case proceeds, Maduro would face trial under the US criminal justice system, including the right to a jury trial. A similar immunity argument was unsuccessfully made by former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega after his capture by US forces in 1990. Outside the courthouse, police kept rival groups of protesters and pro-intervention demonstrators apart as the hearing took place.</p>

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