Maduro was tried for drug trafficking in the US
Former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were brought to a federal court in Manhattan, USA, on October 16. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
According to Sky News, they face serious charges of involvement in drug trafficking into the United States.
During the court proceedings, Nicolas Maduro firmly denied all the charges against him. His wife Cilia Flores also asserted her innocence.
The couple was brought to the court session under heightened security measures from the federal detention center in Brooklyn. It was reported that they were delivered to the courthouse a few hours before the hearing began.
The case is being handled by New York District Judge Alvin Hellerstein. The initial court session was procedural in nature, during which the charges were formally read aloud.
According to investigation data, Maduro was connected with international drug cartels and participated in coordinating the delivery of large quantities of cocaine to the United States. If found guilty, he could face life imprisonment.
The former president's lawyers argue that his arrest is unlawful. In their view, Maduro, as a sovereign state leader, enjoys international immunity, and this should be taken into account by the court.
According to reports, Maduro and Flores were captured during a special operation conducted by US forces in Caracas. Subsequently, they were flown to New York on a special flight, and the FBI plane landed at the National Guard base.
The couple was initially placed in the drug enforcement agency's custody and then transferred to the federal detention center in Brooklyn. This incident caused a major stir in the international political arena, and discussions regarding this case are expected to intensify in the coming days.
