Former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro appeared before U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein in Manhattan on Jan. 5 and pleaded not guilty to a slate of federal charges, including narco‑terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation and possession of machine guns and destructive devices.

The 63‑year‑old, dressed in prison clothing and shackled at the ankles, declared through an interpreter that he was “innocent” and still president of Venezuela before the judge cut him off. His wife, Cilia Flores, also entered a not guilty plea; both face potential life sentences if convicted and are due back in court on March 17 as reported by dailymail .

The couple were taken into U.S. custody during a U.S. military operation in Caracas on Jan. 3 and transported to New York, where they are being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. During Monday’s hearing, Flores who identified herself as Venezuela’s “first lady”attended with bandages on her face, and their attorneys indicated they will challenge what they call a “military abduction”. Outside the courthouse, rival groups of demonstrators clashed as supporters decried the intervention and others celebrated Maduro’s removal.

A superseding indictment unsealed the day of their capture accuses Maduro and several allies of working with violent criminal organizations to ship “thousands of tons” of cocaine into the United States. Prosecutors allege he used his position to direct trafficking routes, provided traffickers with diplomatic passports and partnered with Colombian guerrilla groups and Mexican cartels such as FARC, ELN, Sinaloa, Zetas and Tren de Aragua. The indictment, which also names Flores and their son, claims the conspiracy dates back to 1999 and included kidnappings and murders to enforce the drug network.

Maduro greeted those in the courtroom with “Happy New Year” and described himself as both a prisoner of war and Venezuela’s legitimate leader. Judge Hellerstein, however, told him there would be an appropriate time to discuss the circumstances of his arrest and confirmed his identity before moving forward. Flores’ lawyer said she suffered injuries during the raid, while Maduro’s attorney, Barry Pollack, signaled plans to contest the legality of the operation.

Washington has refused to recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s leader since a disputed 2018 election and views his capture as part of a broader effort to dismantle an alleged state‑sponsored drug‑trafficking enterprise. U.S. President Donald Trump said after the operation that the United States would “run” Venezuela temporarily, a statement later tempered by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who promised to enforce an “oil quarantine” but not govern the country directly.

Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez, who was sworn in after the raid, condemned the seizure as kidnapping but also signaled a willingness to work with Washington, calling for “respectful relations”. The United Nations Security Council convened an emergency session to address the U.S. action and warned it may have violated international law.