Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty to narcotics-related charges in a Manhattan federal court this week, following their controversial apprehension by U.S. forces in Caracas on January 3. The case has sparked international debate over jurisdictional authority and diplomatic protocols.
Maduro, addressing U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein during the January 5 hearing, declared: "I am a decent man, the president of my country." The proceedings at the Southern District of New York courthouse marked the first time a sitting head of state has been forcibly brought before U.S. judicial authorities in recent history.
Prosecutors allege the Venezuelan leader oversaw a "narco-terrorism partnership" involving Colombian armed groups. Both defendants face multiple charges under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act, with Maduro specifically accused of conspiring to "flood American communities with cocaine."
The court has scheduled the next hearing for March 17, 2026, allowing time for evidence review. Legal experts suggest the case could test boundaries of international law, particularly regarding immunity claims for foreign leaders.
