Deposed Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro appeared in a Manhattan federal court on Thursday for his 'narco-terrorism' case, following his capture by US military forces in January. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, both pleaded not guilty during their 5 January arraignment. The hearing saw arguments over whether Maduro should be allowed to use Venezuelan government funds for his defence, with his lawyers claiming the US is violating his constitutional rights by blocking such funds.
US special forces captured Maduro and Flores on 3 January in a controversial pre-dawn raid in Caracas that reportedly killed 100 people. Charging papers allege that Maduro led a 'corrupt, illegitimate government' that protected drug trafficking. The capture followed months of US pressure, including strikes on purported 'narco-boats' that resulted in over 100 deaths, with some legal experts questioning the legality of these attacks.
Outside the court, demonstrators for and against Maduro's arrest faced each other across metal barricades. Pro-Maduro banners read 'Free President Maduro & Cilia Flores' and 'Struggle for Socialism', while opponents sang the Venezuelan national anthem. In Caracas, a couple of hundred people gathered to pray for Maduro and condemn the violation of Venezuela's sovereignty.
Experts say conditions in the New York detention centre where Maduro is held are dire. Meanwhile, acting president Delcy Rodríguez has rapidly erased Maduro's political legacy, removing nearly half his cabinet ministers. Addressing a business summit in Miami, Rodríguez made no mention of Maduro and touted Venezuela's economic prospects under her leadership.
