New York, NY – Nicolas Maduro, the embattled President of Venezuela, is scheduled to appear before a federal judge in Manhattan today, Monday, January 5th, following his apprehension in Caracas during a special operation conducted by U.S. forces. The arraignment, announced by the court on Sunday, will see Maduro formally presented with the charges against him.
According to reports, Judge Alvin Hellerstein has been assigned to the case. Maduro was transported to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York shortly after his arrest early Saturday. He was subsequently taken, along with his wife Cilia Flores, to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) headquarters in Manhattan for initial processing before being transferred to a detention facility in Brooklyn.
The U.S. authorities released the federal indictment on Saturday, detailing the accusations against Maduro, including charges of drug-related terrorism and other offenses. The Venezuelan President has previously denied all allegations.
The indictment outlines several charges, including conspiracy to smuggle cocaine into the United States, possession of machine guns, and destructive devices. Maduro’s wife, son, and other high-ranking Venezuelan officials are also named in the indictment.
The legal document alleges that Maduro and his co-conspirators have been collaborating with international criminal organizations since 1999, including the Sinaloa and Zetas cartels from Mexico, groups from Colombia, and the Tren de Aragua gang from Venezuela, to traffic narcotics into the United States. The indictment further claims that Maduro, while serving as Foreign Minister between 2006 and 2008, sold diplomatic passports to individuals involved in drug trafficking.
Meanwhile, in New York City, demonstrations have erupted in protest of Maduro’s detention. Dozens of protestors gathered outside the federal detention center in Brooklyn, voicing their opposition to the U.S. operation. Further updates will be provided as the situation unfolds.
