Nicolas Maduro’s first moments inside a New York courtroom were anything but quiet.
Wearing dark prison clothing and listening through translation headphones, the ousted Venezuelan leader flatly rejected the charges against him, insisting he is innocent and calling himself a “decent man.”
It was his first public statement since US Delta Force operators seized him from the presidential palace in Caracas.
Maduro attempted to assert that he remains Venezuela’s president, but Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein cut him off as the hearing moved forward.
“I Was Kidnapped,” Maduro Tells the Judge
Before entering his plea, Maduro asked to personally read the federal indictment, saying it was the first time he had ever seen it.
After reviewing the document, he entered a plea of not guilty to narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, and weapons charges — crimes that could carry the death penalty if he is convicted.
He then told the court he had been “kidnapped” from his home in Caracas.
When asked to identify himself, he again described himself as Venezuela’s president and said he was captured at his residence in the capital.
A Legal Strategy Built on Immunity
Maduro is being represented by Barry J. Pollack, a Washington, DC-based attorney best known for his role in securing the release of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
Pollack’s team is expected to argue that Maduro cannot be prosecuted because he is — in their view — a sovereign head of state entitled to immunity.
After the hearing, Pollack declined to elaborate on the kidnapping claim, saying only that Maduro’s own words in court “speak for themselves.”
Cilia Flores Appears Injured but “In Good Spirits”
Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, stood beside him in court and also pleaded not guilty.
Court sketches and reporter accounts described her wearing a bandage on her forehead, with visible bruising around one eye.
Her lawyers say she may also be suffering bruised ribs and needed support from a US marshal as she stood.
Despite the injuries, her attorney Mark E. Donnelly told reporters she remains “in good spirits” and understands the legal fight ahead.
He added that the defense plans to challenge the government’s evidence but will do so at the appropriate time in court.
Venezuela Names an Interim Leader
As Maduro sat in federal custody, political power shifted back home.
Vice President Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as Venezuela’s interim president in a ceremony led by her brother, National Assembly leader Jorge Rodriguez.
In her remarks, Rodriguez condemned what she called an “illegitimate military aggression” and described the arrest of Maduro and Flores as a kidnapping of “two heroes,” saying she took office with sorrow for the suffering of the Venezuelan people.
Maduro’s Son Warns of a Global Precedent
Nicolás Maduro Guerra, the president’s son — who has also been indicted in the United States — addressed Venezuela’s National Assembly during its installation session.
His message went beyond national politics.
He warned that allowing the capture of a sitting head of state sets a dangerous global precedent.
According to him, what happened to Venezuela could happen to any country that refuses to bow to outside pressure.
He urged international solidarity, calling silence an ethical and legal failure.
Inside the Courtroom: Sketches and Injuries
Courtroom sketches from Manhattan showed Maduro seated with his legal team, alongside Flores and her attorneys.
Pollack told the court that Maduro himself would need a medical evaluation due to injuries sustained during what he described as an abduction from Caracas.
Washington’s Message: “This Is Our Hemisphere”
Following the arraignment, the US State Department posted a blunt message on X: “This is OUR Hemisphere.”
The post added that President Trump would not allow US security to be threatened.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed that stance during multiple television appearances, framing the operation as a warning to adversaries.
The Western Hemisphere, he said, would not be allowed to become a base for rivals of the United States.
A Viral Tracksuit and an Unexpected Sellout
Images of Maduro taken shortly after his capture showed him blindfolded, wearing ear protection and a Nike Tech tracksuit.
Whether it was his own clothing or issued by US forces remains unclear, but the effect was immediate: the specific colorway reportedly sold out on Nike’s US website within hours.
Tension Outside the Courtroom
As Maduro was led out of court, the tension spilled into the gallery.
One man reportedly shouted that Maduro would “pay on behalf of Venezuela.”
Maduro responded calmly, saying, “In the name of God, I will be free.”
What Comes Next
With not guilty pleas entered, the case now shifts into a prolonged legal battle.
At the center will be questions of jurisdiction, sovereign immunity, and the legality of Maduro’s capture.
Meanwhile, Venezuela moves forward under interim leadership, and the international fallout from the arrest is only beginning to unfold.
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