Toppled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges of narco-terrorism after President Donald Trump's stunning capture of him rattled world leaders and left officials in Caracas scrambling to respond.
Maduro arrived at a New York courthouse on Monday, where he is set to face criminal charges. He was flown to the US following his capture during an American military raid early on Saturday.
Maduro, 63, pleaded not guilty in New York federal court to four criminal counts that include narco-terrorism, cocaine importation conspiracy and possession of machine guns and destructive devices.
Maduro is accused of overseeing a cocaine-trafficking network that partnered with violent groups including Mexico’s Sinaloa and Zetas cartels, Colombian FARC rebels and Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang.
Maduro has long denied the allegations, saying they were a mask for imperialist designs on Venezuela's rich oil reserves.
Now, he faces charges in Manhattan, where federal prosecutors have targeted him for years.
What charges does Maduro face?
The indictment alleged Maduro and other Venezuelan leaders have, for more than 25 years, "abused their positions of public trust and corrupted once-legitimate institutions to import tons of cocaine into the United States."
The indictment alleged Maduro and his allies “provided law enforcement cover and logistical support” to major drug trafficking groups, such as the Sinaloa Cartel and Tren de Aragua gang. These criminal organizations sent profits to high-ranking officials who protected them in exchange, the Justice Department said.
Among other specific acts, Maduro is accused of selling Venezuelan diplomatic passports to known drug traffickers and facilitating flights under diplomatic cover to bring drug proceeds back from Mexico to Venezuela.
Maduro was indicted on four counts: narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
The US Attorney's Office brought the case for the Southern District of New York, a unit within the Justice Department known for its independence and aggressive prosecutions.
The same prosecutor's office returned an indictment against Maduro in 2020, with the same four charges. The updated indictment made public on Saturday adds some new details and co-defendants, including Maduro's wife, Cilia Flores.
The first lady is accused of ordering kidnappings and murders, as well as accepting bribes in 2007 to arrange a meeting between drug traffickers and the director of Venezuela’s National Anti-Drug Office.
What comes next in the criminal case?
At his initial court appearance on Monday, a judge will likely advise Maduro of the charges against him and ensure he has a defense lawyer.
It could be several months or even more than a year before Maduro stands trial. Prosecutors could eventually offer a plea deal to avoid a trial.
Maduro's case is expected to be overseen by US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein because he was assigned to the 2020 case brought against Maduro.
The 92-year-old jurist has been skeptical of arguments by US President Donald Trump's administration in other high-profile cases. Earlier this year, Hellerstein rejected efforts to deport alleged Venezuelan gang members under the Alien Enemies Act, saying the Trump administration had improperly invoked the wartime law.
What defenses will Maduro raise?
As the case unfolds, Maduro is likely to seek dismissal on the grounds that he is immune from criminal prosecution as a foreign head of state.
In some contexts, judges have concluded that foreign officials are immune from legal claims in US courts.
But Maduro faces an uphill battle with this argument because of a historic precedent: the US invasion of Panama in 1989 that ousted the country's leader, Manuel Noriega.
Like Maduro, Noriega was accused of conspiring to smuggle drugs into the US, and was captured in a military raid in his home country.
US courts rejected Noriega's immunity argument, showing deference to the US government's assertion that he was not Panama's legitimate leader. Legal experts have said that precedent will likely undermine Maduro's efforts to get charges dismissed.
Maduro is also likely to invoke a legal doctrine that says criminal charges should be dismissed if prosecutors brought them vindictively or selectively. He might also argue that claims against him are time-barred, meaning they are too old to be pursued in court.
Federal conspiracy charges generally have a five-year statute of limitations, meaning charges must be brought within five years of the alleged crime's completion, with some exceptions.
Orthodox Jewish judge to preside over Maduro's criminal proceedings
Judge Alvin Hellerstein, a 92-year-old Orthodox Jewish federal judge, was appointed to preside over the criminal proceedings.
Hellerstein is among the longest-serving active federal judges in the country. Appointed to the bench in 1998 by President Bill Clinton, he assumed senior judge status in 2011 but has continued to hear cases well into his tenth decade.
Over his career, the judge has handled terrorism and national security cases, complex financial disputes, and major civil lawsuits, including claims linked to the 9/11 attacks.