Maduro Declares "I Am President" in US Court, Claims Kidnapping Amid Drug Charges
International
N
News18•05-01-2026, 23:50
Maduro Declares "I Am President" in US Court, Claims Kidnapping Amid Drug Charges
- •Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro appeared in a New York courtroom, facing drug trafficking and narco-terrorism charges by the Trump administration.
- •Maduro asserted his innocence, stating, "I am the President of my country" and claiming he was "kidnapped" by US DEA agents from his Caracas residence.
- •He and his wife, Cilia, were presented in khaki prison uniforms under heavy security, accused of leading a state-sponsored drug network.
- •Charges include conspiracy to smuggle large quantities of cocaine into the US, potentially leading to decades or life imprisonment.
- •Russia and China have demanded Maduro's immediate release, while his lawyers plan to argue sovereign immunity, which the US disputes.
Why It Matters: Maduro denies US drug charges, claims presidential immunity and kidnapping, sparking international debate.
✦
More like this
Loading more articles...
