Venezuela’s Nicolás Madurosays “I am still president” as he pleads not guilty to drug trafficking and other charges in his first appearance at a New York court
He and his wife Cilia Flores were seized from their Caracas compound on Saturday and flown to the US as part of a special forces operation – here’s what happened
Today’s hearing ended with a tense exchange between a member of the public and Maduro, who said he was a “prisoner of war”, our reporter in court says
Outside, protesters have been gathering, with some brandishing placards – one reads “USA Hands-off Venezuela”, while another says “Thank You President Trump”
Earlier, dramatic images showed the pair being transferred to the courthouse in handcuffs, surrounded by armed officers.
Also read: US rejects Maduro as legitimate Venezuelan president
After pleading not guilty Maduro and his wife were taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center, MDC, in Brooklyn, New York.
US lawyers have described the prison as “hell on earth” – with overcrowding and understaffing leading to frequent acts of violence.
Then-New York Attorney General Letitia James said conditions were “unacceptable and inhumane”, external in 2019. One judge said “chaos reigns, along with uncontrolled violence” in the facility, citing several cases where jurists had hesitated to send defendants and convicts to the jail due to the conditions there.
Despite this, as the only federal jail in New York City, the MDC is often chosen by US authorities to house prominent prisoners. This has included former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who faced drug trafficking charges and was pardoned by Donald Trump last year.
Other famous inmates include Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell and rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs.
BBC
