U.S. court keeps Maduro and his wife in custody

The first court hearing in the case of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro took place in Manhattan. He appeared before U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein alongside his wife, Cilia Flores.

Reuters reported the details.

First hearing in the Maduro case

According to journalists, the hearing lasted about 30 minutes. Addressing the parties, Judge Hellerstein said his role was to "ensure a fair trial for everyone" before reading out the list of charges against Maduro. In response, the Venezuelan leader stated that he does not plead guilty.

Maduro insisted that he considers himself the legitimate president of Venezuela and described himself as a prisoner. He claimed he was abducted from his home in Caracas. The judge also informed the defendants of their right to consular assistance, which Maduro said he intends to use.

Maduro’s attorney, Barry Pollack, said the defense would not seek bail at this stage but did not rule out doing so later. He separately raised concerns about what he called the "legality of the military abduction" of his client and noted that Maduro has health issues that require proper medical care while in custody.

Cilia Flores’s attorney, in turn, said that Maduro’s wife has severe bruising on her ribs. After hearing both sides, the court ruled that both defendants will remain in custody until the next hearing on March 17.

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