Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) – On March 5th local time, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro made his first court appearance in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, pleading not guilty to the alleged "criminal" charges brought by the U.S.
On the same day, regarding multiple charges brought by the U.S. involving drug and arms smuggling, Maduro stated in court that he was "kidnapped" and "innocent." He emphasized that he remains the President of Venezuela and called himself an "honest person." Maduro's wife, Flores, also pleaded not guilty in court.
U.S. media reports that as criminal defendants in the U.S. judicial system, the Maduro couple enjoy the same rights as other defendants. Flores was injured during the U.S. military raid, and the judge allowed her lawyers to negotiate a solution with the prosecution. Currently, neither of them has sought bail. The judge ordered them to appear in court again on March 17th.
According to court records, Maduro's lawyer is Barry Pollack. Pollack previously represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in his lawsuit against the U.S. government. Flores' lawyer is Mark Donnelly, a former federal prosecutor based in Houston.
The United States launched a large-scale military strike against Venezuela early on March 3, forcibly taking Maduro and his wife into custody and bringing them to the United States. The Maduro couple are currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York. (End)
