On the morning of 5/1, Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were taken by a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) helicopter from a detention center in Brooklyn to the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Federal Courthouse in downtown New York. This location was set for their first hearing on drug trafficking charges.
Upon exiting the helicopter, both Maduro and Flores wore beige clothing, were handcuffed, and were under strict escort by DEA agents. Maduro walked with a slight limp.
Following preliminary procedures, Maduro and his wife were scheduled to appear before Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein around 12:00 PM EST (12:00 AM on 6/1 Hanoi time). Prosecutors from the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York were to present the charges against Maduro and Flores.
The primary accusations against Maduro include operating a large-scale drug trafficking network, collaborating with notorious gangs such as Sinaloa, Zetas, and Tren de Aragua, and maintaining connections with the FARC rebel group in Colombia. Flores is accused of participating in these networks.
The court will appoint defense counsel for Maduro and his wife. According to a CNN source, David Wikstrom has been designated as their lawyer.
Before his arrest by US special forces, Maduro consistently denied these accusations, asserting they were a pretext for the US to seize Venezuela's oil resources. The South American nation is believed to possess the world's largest oil reserves.
The 92-year-old federal judge Hellerstein has presided over significant cases, including those related to the 11/9/2001 terrorist attacks and other national security matters. If Maduro does not accept a plea agreement, Judge Hellerstein will likely order his detention without bail.
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Maduro and his wife are escorted from a helicopter to a New York courthouse on 5/1. Photo: Reuters |
The Venezuelan leader and his wife were arrested in a US raid in Caracas on the morning of 3/1, before being transferred to New York. This US operation drew strong criticism from the United Nations (UN) and many countries worldwide, including Russia and China.
The UN Security Council was also expected to convene today at Venezuela's request to discuss the US action.
Thanh Tam (According to AFP, CNN, Reuters)
