On Monday, May 5th, Eastern Time, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro made his first appearance in a New York federal court after being forcibly brought to the United States, where he faced four charges brought by the U.S. Department of Justice. According to reports, Maduro pleaded "not guilty" during the so-called "arraignment." This case has once again sparked strong international criticism questioning the U.S. for trampling on sovereignty and violating international law.
The superseding indictment unsealed by the U.S. Department of Justice on Saturday charges Maduro with four counts: narcoterrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices. Federal prosecutors in New York alleged that "For more than 25 years, Venezuelan leaders abused positions of public trust to direct tons of cocaine into the United States." Maduro's wife, Cilia Flores, and his son, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, were also named as co-conspirators in the indictment.
During Monday's court proceeding, presided over by Judge Alvin Hellerstein, Maduro pleaded "not guilty" to all charges. Judge Hellerstein stated, "It is my duty to ensure this is a fair trial. That is my job, and that is my intention."
An analysis suggests that the U.S.'s so-called "trial" of Maduro is substantially linked to oil interests. At a press conference held by former President Trump on the 3rd regarding this matter, the word "oil" was mentioned 26 times, while terms like "drugs," "gangs," and "drug trafficking" appeared only 14 times combined. U.S. experts and media point out that there is still no publicly available evidence directly proving Maduro personally commanded or participated in specific drug smuggling activities. According to recent reports from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Venezuela is not even a primary source for drugs within the United States.
The indictment lists detailed accusations.
The superseding indictment unsealed by the U.S. Department of Justice on Saturday levels multiple charges against Maduro, his wife Cilia Flores, his son Nicolás Maduro Guerra, and other Venezuelan officials. The indictment claims Maduro was "at the forefront of corruption," using "his illicitly gained power and the institutions he corrupted to ship thousands of tons of cocaine to the United States."
According to the indictment, while holding various government positions, Maduro provided Venezuelan diplomatic passports to drug traffickers and offered diplomatic cover for aircraft used to launder money from Mexico to Venezuela. The indictment alleges that his co-conspirators "partnered with some of the world's most violent and prolific drug traffickers and narco-terrorists for their own benefit."
Flores is accused of having "accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in 2007 to arrange a meeting for a major drug trafficker with the director of Venezuela's National Anti-Drug Office." The indictment charges that between 2004 and 2015, during cocaine smuggling operations, Maduro and Flores jointly "ordered the kidnapping, beating, and murder of those who owed them drug money or otherwise interfered with their narcotics operations, including ordering the murder of a local drug lord in Caracas."
Maduro faces four charges: narcoterrorism conspiracy, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. Flores faces three charges: conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
Details of the arraignment and Maduro's statements.
According to reports, around 8 a.m. Eastern Time on the 5th, Maduro and his wife were escorted by heavily armed guards from a detention center in Brooklyn, New York, and subsequently transported, including by helicopter, to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. A notice previously posted on the court's website indicated Maduro would appear in court at 12 p.m. Eastern Time on the 5th.
After the hearing began, defense attorneys and prosecutors announced their appearances. Judge Hellerstein announced he had been assigned to the case, stating, "It is my duty to ensure this is a fair trial." The judge, who could not be seen on the courtroom monitor, joked, "Modern electronics hide the judge." Television cameras and recording devices were not permitted in the courtroom, but journalists and the public could watch from an overflow room.
Hellerstein read a summary of the charges against Maduro, which included "narcoterrorism conspiracy." The judge referred to Maduro's wife as "Ms. Flores." When asked to enter a plea, Maduro told the judge, "I was captured." He said, "I am a decent man, the president of my country."
The judge stated, "On behalf of Mr. Maduro, a plea of not guilty is entered." When asked a second time to state his position, Maduro said, "I am innocent. I plead not guilty to anything mentioned here."
The trial venue and the judge's background.
The location of Maduro's court appearance was the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse, located in Manhattan, New York, which houses the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. According to The New York Times, this courthouse is heavily guarded year-round and has presided over numerous high-profile cases. Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández was extradited to the U.S. after leaving office in 2022 and was tried and convicted there.
The presiding judge, Alvin Hellerstein, is 92 years old this year. He was appointed as a federal judge by then-President Bill Clinton in 1998 and has served on this court for over 25 years. Despite his advanced age, he continues to handle major criminal cases, terrorism-related cases, and national security cases.
The historical context of the U.S. prosecution against Maduro.
The U.S. prosecution against Maduro has been planned for some time. As early as 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice indicted Maduro and his wife, accusing them of leading a drug trafficking organization called the "Cartel of the Suns." In 2025, the Trump administration went further, designating the cartel, and indeed the entire Maduro government, as a "foreign terrorist organization."
On the 3rd, U.S. Attorney General Bundy announced via social media that Maduro and his wife had been indicted by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Bundy did not use Maduro's title as President of Venezuela and claimed Maduro was charged with "narcoterrorism conspiracy, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices targeting the United States." In the early hours of the 3rd, the U.S. launched a large-scale military operation against Venezuela, raiding areas including the capital Caracas, forcibly taking control of the Maduros, and bringing them to the United States.
Oil interests and international reactions.
An analysis notes that at the press conference held by former President Trump on the 3rd regarding the forcible capture of Maduro, the word "oil" was repeatedly mentioned, appearing 26 times in total. In contrast, terms like "drugs," "gangs," and "drug trafficking" were mentioned only 14 times combined. The shift from so-called "judicial justice" to "oil business" makes it increasingly clear to all that the U.S.'s proclaimed "rules-based international order" is, in practice, merely a "plunder-based order serving U.S. interests."
However, U.S. experts and media point out that there remains no public evidence directly proving Maduro personally commanded or participated in specific drug smuggling activities. More contradictory still, according to recent DEA reports, Venezuela is not even a primary source for drugs entering the United States.
In the face of the U.S.'s blatant trampling of the UN Charter, international anger is escalating. UN Secretary-General António Guterres believes the U.S. action against Venezuela "sets a dangerous precedent." Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva condemned it as "placing might above multilateralism." Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel described it as "an act of state terrorism against the Americas." Russian Federation Council Vice Speaker Konstantin Kosachev sternly declared that the U.S. action lacks substantive basis and constitutes a blatant violation of international law.
Maduro's son warns of a dangerous precedent.
Maduro's son, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, a member of Venezuela's National Assembly, delivered a speech in parliament on Monday, his first public appearance since events escalated on Saturday. He criticized the Trump administration and warned that the capture of his father could set a dangerous global precedent.
Maduro Guerra demanded that U.S. authorities release his parents and called for international support. He also condemned his inclusion in the New York indictment against his parents, where he is listed as a co-conspirator.
Maduro Guerra stated, "If we normalize the kidnapping of a head of state, no country is safe. Today it is Venezuela, tomorrow it could be any nation that refuses to submit. This is not a regional issue; it is a direct threat to global political stability."
