Nicolás Maduro defiantly declared himself "the president of my country" on Monday as he pleaded not guilty in a US court to federal drug trafficking charges that the Trump administration has cited to justify his removal from power in Venezuela. "I was captured," Maduro said in Spanish, according to a courtroom translation, before being cut off by the judge. Asked for his plea, he added: "I'm innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the president of my country." The brief court appearance marked Maduro's first since he and his wife were seized from their home in a nighttime military operation and brought to the United States. The case represents one of the most consequential US prosecutions of a foreign head of state in decades and unfolds amid broader political fallout from what President Donald Trump has described as a US-led regime change that would allow Washington to temporarily "run" Venezuela. Maduro entered the Manhattan courtroom shortly before noon alongside his co-defendant wife, Cilia Flores. Both wore headsets to follow the proceedings, which were translated into Spanish. They were transported under armed guard from a Brooklyn detention facility, where they have been held since arriving in the United States on Saturday. Throughout the hearing, Maduro repeatedly claimed he had been unlawfully abducted. "I am here kidnapped," he said. "I was captured at my home in Caracas." US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein interrupted, telling Maduro there would be an appropriate time for such arguments and asking him to confirm his identity, which he did. Maduro's lawyers are expected to challenge the legality of his arrest and argue that he is immune from prosecution as a sitting head of state. His defense team said it would raise questions over what it described as a military abduction. US authorities, however, do not recognize Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate leader following a disputed 2024 reelection. Flores also pleaded not guilty. Her lawyer said she suffered significant injuries during her capture, and she appeared in court with bandages on her forehead and right temple. A 25-page indictment accuses Maduro and others of conspiring with drug cartels to ship thousands of tons of cocaine into the United States. If convicted, he could face life in prison. The indictment also alleges kidnappings, beatings and killings tied to the drug trafficking operation. Outside the courthouse, police separated demonstrators protesting the US military action from supporters of the intervention. Inside the courtroom, a man shouted at Maduro in Spanish, calling him an illegitimate president. As he was escorted out by federal officers, Maduro responded: "I am a kidnapped president. I am a prisoner of war." The US seized Maduro and his wife early Saturday in a military operation. Trump has said the United States would temporarily run Venezuela, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington would not govern the country on a day-to-day basis. Venezuela's interim leadership has demanded Maduro's return, warning his capture could set a dangerous global precedent. The United Nations Security Council also held an emergency meeting, with senior UN officials warning the operation may have violated international law and highlighting Venezuela's deep humanitarian crisis — Agencies
