Venezuelan: Maduro pleads not guilty in US court

Deposed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty to charges of narco-terrorism in a New York court on Monday, two days after being snatched by US forces in a stunning raid on his home in Caracas. Maduro, 63, told a federal judge in Manhattan that he had been “kidnapped” from Venezuela and said, “I’m innocent; […]

Deposed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty to charges of narco-terrorism in a New York court on Monday, two days after being snatched by US forces in a stunning raid on his home in Caracas.

Maduro, 63, told a federal judge in Manhattan that he had been “kidnapped” from Venezuela and said, “I’m innocent; I’m not guilty,” US media reported.

“I’m still the president of my country,” he was quoted as saying.

Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, likewise pleaded not guilty.

The pair was snatched by US commandos in the early hours of Saturday in an assault backed by warplanes and a heavy naval deployment. In a series of shock announcements over the weekend, President Donald Trump declared that the United States is now running Venezuela, intending to rebuild and control its huge but decrepit oil industry.

Maduro became president in 2013, taking over from his equally hardline socialist predecessor, Hugo Chavez.

The United States and the European Union say he stayed in power by rigging elections and imprisoning opponents while overseeing rampant corruption.

Some 2,000 Maduro supporters, including rifle-wielding men on motorcycles, rallied Sunday in Caracas, waving Venezuelan flags.

On Monday, deputies in the Venezuelan parliament shouted “Let’s go, Nico!” in support of the ousted leader.

Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves. However, the oil is difficult and expensive to produce, and after years of international sanctions and mismanagement, the infrastructure is in poor shape. (AFP)