Ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, detained in New York since his capture by the United States in early January, will return to a Manhattan court on Thursday, accused of facilitating international drug trafficking.
The former Venezuelan strongman, 63, and his wife, Cilia Flores, 69, who is also charged in the same case, have not appeared in public since a first hearing on January 5, when they were formally indicted by U.S. authorities.
Thursday’s hearing is mainly intended to address procedural issues before any consideration of the case’s merits.
Detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, a federal prison known for poor conditions and management problems, Maduro is being held alone in a cell, without access to the internet or newspapers.
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Nicknamed “president” by some fellow inmates, Maduro reads the Bible and can only communicate with family and lawyers by phone for up to 15 minutes per call, according to a source close to the Venezuelan government cited by AFP.
“The lawyers told us he is strong,” said his only son, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, quoting his father: “We are fine, we are fighters.”
Captured on January 3 in Caracas along with his wife in a U.S. military operation involving around 150 aircraft and helicopters as well as ground troops, Maduro faces four charges in the United States, including narco-terrorism.
The former president has denied the accusations, and his lawyers are seeking to dismiss the indictment, according to recently released court documents.
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At the center of the defense’s argument is the fact that U.S. authorities prevent the Venezuelan state from paying the couple’s legal fees due to international sanctions imposed on the country.
For Maduro’s defense, preventing a defendant from accessing a lawyer of their choice constitutes a violation of a right guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
This screengrab taken from the X account of Rapid Response 47, the official White House rapid response account, shows Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (C) escorted by DEA agents inside the headquarters of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Photo by X account of Rapid Response 47/AFP
“The only solution is to drop the charges, because this court cannot allow this case to proceed in violation of constitutional rights,” the lawyers wrote.
The response of the presiding judge, Alvin Hellerstein, a 92-year-old magistrate experienced in major cases, will be closely watched, although the likelihood of charges being dismissed appears low.
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According to the prosecution, Maduro “led a corrupt and illegitimate government that, for decades, used state power to protect and promote illegal activities, namely drug trafficking,” which enriched and consolidated the control of Venezuela’s political and military elite.
More specifically, he is accused of collaborating with guerrilla movements, particularly Colombian groups considered terrorist organizations by Washington, as well as criminal cartels, to “send tons of cocaine to the United States.”
During his first court appearance in New York, Maduro described himself as a “prisoner of war,” captured on January 3.
Since the couple’s capture, Venezuelan authorities have organized numerous demonstrations in Caracas and other parts of the country demanding their release, along with campaigns encouraging people to send letters in support of the former leader.
After ruling the country with an iron fist for 12 years, the former bus driver who succeeded his mentor Hugo Chávez has been replaced by Vice President Delcy Rodríguez.
Rodríguez has made several concessions and conciliatory gestures toward the United States, while U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed he is now effectively directing Venezuela from Washington.
