Nicolás Maduro, the former far-left leader of Venezuela, made his first appearance in a federal courtroom Monday following his weekend capture by U.S. special forces.
The dramatic operation, which also netted his wife Cilia Flores, has sparked widespread attention and drawn parallels to historical law enforcement actions against foreign dictators.
The arraignment took place in a Manhattan federal court, where both defendants entered not guilty pleas to serious federal charges.
Maduro and Flores appeared before the judge to face allegations that could keep them behind bars for the rest of their lives if convicted.
Both defendants waived their rights to a speedy trial during Monday’s proceedings.
Their next court appearance is scheduled for mid-March, giving their legal teams time to prepare their defense strategies.
The charges against Maduro include four counts: narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
Flores faces three similar charges, excluding the narco-terrorism conspiracy count.
Judge Alvin Hellerstein is presiding over the case.
The 92-year-old jurist was nominated by President Bill Clinton in 1998 and has handled numerous high-profile cases throughout his career. Hellerstein previously made headlines for his rulings in cases involving Abu Ghraib images and Harvey Weinstein settlement rejections.
The judge’s track record includes decisions that have affected the Trump administration.
He rejected requests to move the Stormy Daniels case to federal court and ruled against the administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act for deportations of suspected gang members without court approval.
Despite his Clinton appointment, legal observers describe Hellerstein as fair and balanced.
Fox News reported that Louis Gelormino, a New York City defense attorney with courtroom experience before the judge, said Hellerstein remains courteous and respectful while maintaining firm control over proceedings.
“Perfect example today was Maduro started rambling. He eventually cut him off,” Gelormino added.
Criminal cases in the Southern District of New York are assigned through a randomized process once an indictment is filed.
Hellerstein, who has served as the district’s senior judge since 2011, is also handling another Venezuelan narco-terrorism case involving former general Hugo “El Pollo” Carvajal.
Carvajal pleaded guilty last year to conspiracies involving narco-terrorism and drug importation, along with weapons charges.
Former U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr, who participated in Maduro’s 2020 indictment, told Fox News Monday that prosecutors may have obtained new evidence from Carvajal that wasn’t available years ago.
Defense attorney Barry Pollack has filed to represent Maduro.
The high-profile lawyer operates offices in Washington, D.C., and New York City and brings extensive experience with major international cases.
Pollack negotiated the plea agreement that freed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and has won acquittals in fraud cases following the Enron collapse.
Pollack described Maduro’s arrest as “an abduction” during Monday’s proceedings and indicated plans to file extensive motions.
The defense attorney briefly mentioned sovereign immunity arguments in court, a strategy that legal experts predict will fail based on precedent.
Flores will be represented by Mark Donnelly, a Houston-based attorney appearing pro hac vice. The former federal prosecutor worked on behalf of the Texas House of Representatives during the impeachment proceedings against Attorney General Ken Paxton, who was acquitted by the state Senate.
Donnelly requested medical attention for his client, stating she sustained rib injuries during the raid in Caracas.
Jay Clayton, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, signed the superseding indictment unsealed over the weekend.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle A. Wirshba represented the government at Monday’s arraignment, supported by approximately half a dozen colleagues at the prosecutors’ table.
Wirshba serves in the Southern District’s national security and international narcotics unit.
His experience includes prosecuting the Tren de Aragua gang and securing the conviction of former Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez on cocaine trafficking and firearms charges in 2024. President Donald Trump pardoned Hernandez in December.
Both defendants are currently held at a federal jail in Brooklyn.
Their attorneys reserved the right to request bail in the future, though legal experts consider approval unlikely given the severity of the charges and flight risk concerns.
Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani explained that the 2020 indictment would have required Attorney General approval due to its politically sensitive nature.
Rahmani stated that Bill Barr’s experience suggests sufficient evidence exists to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Prosecutors are expected to rely on wiretaps, cooperating conspirators, and undercover operatives to build their case.
