A defiant Nicolás Maduro proclaimed “I’m still president of my country” as he appeared Monday in a New York City courtroom for the first time, following his dramatic capture and extradition to the United States under orders from President Donald Trump.
Maduro, once the entrenched socialist strongman of Venezuela, stood before a federal judge in lower Manhattan facing sweeping drug trafficking charges. “I am innocent, I am not guilty,” Maduro said, according to multiple reports, attempting to assert legitimacy even as he was formally arraigned in U.S. custody.
Fox News anchor Harris Faulkner told viewers that Maduro went further, declaring himself a “decent man” while addressing U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein. The appearance marked Maduro’s first time in open court since he was seized in a U.S. military operation early Saturday and transferred to a federal detention center in Brooklyn.
According to CNN reporter Dana Bash, Hellerstein repeatedly cut off Maduro as he attempted to deliver political statements from the defense table. The judge reminded him that the proceeding was limited to arraignment, not a political rally.
Maduro now faces charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, weapons offenses, and conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States. Federal prosecutors allege that Maduro and three co-defendants trafficked “thousands of tons of cocaine to the United States,” using the power of the Venezuelan state to shield and promote criminal operations.
Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, also appeared in court and entered a plea of not guilty. Their courtroom appearance followed Trump’s order authorizing U.S. military strikes and a high-risk operation that resulted in Maduro’s arrest and removal from power.
President Trump has since said the United States will temporarily “run” Venezuela now that Maduro is jailed in New York, framing the move as necessary to stabilize a country he has repeatedly described as broken by corruption, socialism, and narco-criminal rule.
Outside the courthouse, the scene was chaotic and deeply divided. CBS News reporter Matt Gutman joined anchor Tony Dokoupil from the scene, reporting that Maduro told the judge he “didn’t know” his rights, a claim that raised eyebrows given his decades in power and control over Venezuela’s justice system.
Protesters gathered outside the courthouse waving signs in support of Maduro and condemning the United States. “Defend Venezuela! Free Nicolás Maduro!” one sign read, while another declared, “U.S.A. Hands Off Venezuela.” The demonstrations followed similar protests across the country over the weekend.
But just steps away, a very different crowd made its voice heard. Supporters of the U.S. action and Venezuelan expatriates who fled Maduro’s rule held signs praising Trump and celebrating Maduro’s downfall. “Thank you President Donald Trump!” one sign read. Another showed Maduro’s face crossed out in red marker. “Make Venezuela Great Again!” read another sign in red, blue, and yellow.
Maduro’s first day in an American courtroom underscored the stunning reversal of fortune for a man who once ruled Venezuela with an iron
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