Venezuela’s Maduro Pleads Not Guilty In U.S. Court

"I'm innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the president of my country," Maduro said.  

Venezuela’s Former PresidentNicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty during his first court appearance after being detained by the U.S. military.

Maduro is facing narco-terrorism charges that the Trump administration said was justification for his capture and removal to New York.

Prosecutors unveiled a new four-count indictment against Maduro, his wife and Venezuelan officials after seizing the former president, alleging Maduro leveraged government influence to shield vast criminal conduct from scrutiny to the benefit of him and his allies.

The indictment alleges that, across 25 years, Maduro gave drug traffickers diplomatic cover, ran his own cocaine trafficking operation with his wife and has ties to terrorism and drug trafficking groups.

Maduro pleaded not guilty to federal drug trafficking charges. He said, “I’m innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the president of my country.”