Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is set to appear in a US federal court on Thursday to request the dismissal of narco-terrorism and drug trafficking charges, months after he was abducted from Caracas by American special forces.c08bc8
Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were seized on January 3 and arraigned two days later at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in Manhattan, where they pleaded not guilty to all counts. They have remained in custody at a Brooklyn detention centre since then, with no bail granted.d3fca8
US prosecutors accuse Maduro and several associates of conspiring with Colombian rebel group FARC to traffic cocaine into the United States, charges that carry potential life sentences.1bed0b
Maduro has consistently denied the allegations, describing them as part of an “imperialist plot” to destabilise Venezuela. His legal team argues that Washington is violating his constitutional rights by blocking access to Venezuelan government funds needed to cover defence costs.b6fad8
The court appearance comes as Maduro’s influence inside Venezuela has waned under acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who has removed several of his loyalists and begun reshaping state institutions.edd922
Despite his detention, murals and billboards in Caracas continue to demand his return, reflecting lingering support among sections of the population.10a7ad
