Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro will appear in court in New York for the second time on Thursday, following his detention by US commandos in an unusual nighttime raid.
Maduro, 63, and his wife Cilia Flores have been in a Brooklyn jail for nearly three months after being kidnapped by American commandos in early January from their Caracas property.
The surprise operation toppled the strongman who had led Venezuela since 2013, forcing the oil-rich country to essentially submit to US President Donald Trump’s whims.
Maduro has declared himself a “prisoner of war” and pleaded not guilty to four counts: “narco-terrorism” conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
Maduro will likely see Maduro push for the dismissal of his case as lawyers tussle over who will pay the former leader’s legal fees in the hearing on Thursday.
Venezuela’s government is attempting to fund the fees, but due to Washington’s sanctions, his lawyer, Barry Pollack, must secure a US license that has yet to be awarded.
Pollack stated in a court petition that the licensing requirement violated Maduro’s constitutional right to legal representation and sought that the case be dismissed on procedural grounds.
Maduro is imprisoned in Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, a federal prison with unsanitary conditions.
According to a source close to the Venezuelan government, he reads the Bible and is referred to as “president” by some of his fellow detainees.
He is only permitted to communicate with his family and lawyers for 15 minutes per call.
“The lawyers told us he is strong. He said we must not be sad,” said his son, Nicolas Maduro Guerra, adding his father told him, “We are fine, we are fighters.”
Maduro and his wife were kidnapped by US commandos in the early hours of January 3, following airstrikes on the Venezuelan capital supported by jets and a large naval force.
According to Venezuelan officials, the assault killed at least 83 individuals and injured over 112 others. No American service members were killed.
Maduro struck a belligerent tone in his first court appearance in the United States in January, identifying himself as Venezuela’s president despite being detained.
The South American country is now managed by Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro’s deputy president since 2018.
Under US pressure, she is struggling to manage a country with the world’s greatest proven oil reserves but a shattered economy.
Rodriguez has recently implemented a historic amnesty law to liberate political prisoners imprisoned under Maduro, as well as reforming oil and mining restrictions in response to US requests for access to her country’s rich natural resources.
This month, the State Department announced the restoration of diplomatic connections with Venezuela as a sign of improving relations.
Security is anticipated to be increased around the New York courthouse for Thursday’s session.
The case is presided over by Alvin Hellerstein, a 92-year-old judge who has overseen several high-profile trials during his decades on the bench.
