Inside Maduro’s defiant first courtroom look: “I’m nonetheless president of my nation”

Below heavy guard, former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores, had been flown from a federal jail in Brooklyn to Manhattan on Monday morning to make their first courtroom look since being captured by U.S. forces over the weekend.

Surrounded by Drug Enforcement Company brokers, the shackled Maduro shuffled from the helicopter to an armored automobile, and was then pushed to a federal courthouse, the place he was greeted by the New York Metropolis Police Division and protesters — on one facet of the road had been these cheering Maduro’s downfall, and on the opposite had been these opposing his seize and detention.

Contained in the courtroom, Maduro, clad in a jail jumpsuit, was initially defiant, declaring by way of a translator that he’s a “respectable man,” harmless of all prices.

“I’m nonetheless president of my nation,” he mentioned. In the meantime in Caracas, Maduro’s vice chairman and longtime confidant Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president.

Each Maduro and his spouse pleaded not responsible.

At one level, it appeared Maduro was attempting to grandstand, however U.S. District Decide Alvin Hellerstein minimize him off, like he would anybody, saying he simply wanted to know Maduro’s id and if he understood his rights and the costs in opposition to him.

Maduro faces 4 counts of narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine and weapons-related offenses. He was indicted throughout President Trump’s first time period in 2020. In a superseding indictment unsealed Saturday, federal prosecutors have accused Maduro, his spouse, son and others of partnering with a few of the most violent, prolific drug traffickers and narco terrorists on the planet to distribute tons of cocaine to america for many years.

Flores’ lawyer, Mark Donnelly, mentioned she could have suffered an harm to her ribs in the course of the early Saturday morning operation to seize her and Maduro. She additionally appeared in courtroom on Monday with a bandage on her brow. It is unclear if the previous Venezuelan president was injured, however his lawyer, Barry Pollack, instructed the courtroom he has well being points that can require consideration. Hellerstein promised them each full medical consideration.

The subsequent listening to is about for March 17, and Maduro and his spouse have waived their proper to a speedy trial, so the complete felony proceedings in opposition to them might develop into a prolonged ordeal.