Maduro Denies U.S. Charges in New York Hearing
Maduro addressed the court directly, stating "I am innocent, I am not guilty," while asserting he had been "kidnapped" from his Caracas residence and maintains his position as Venezuela's legitimate president, according to reporters present in the courtroom.
His spouse, Cilia Flores, separately declared her complete innocence regarding the U.S. allegations against her.
Court officials have set March 17 as the date for the next proceeding in the case.
Outside the courthouse, demonstrators assembled with vocal chants and signs reading "Free Maduro," "No War on Venezuela," and "USA hands off Venezuela."
Sydney Loving, a protester at the scene, told media that "The charges are completely outrageous." She added, "We're against any intervention like that on a sovereign nation."
Loving continued, "To kidnap a president of another country is absolutely crossing red line. It definitely violates international law."
U.S. military personnel conducted strikes and aerial bombardments in Caracas and additional Venezuelan locations in the predawn hours Saturday, forcibly detaining Maduro and Flores before transporting them to New York custody.
The American military action has sent shockwaves through the global community, generating widespread condemnation and significant international alarm.
Demonstrations erupted Saturday in over 100 American cities—spanning Washington, Boston, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, and Miami—with crowds opposing the military intervention in the petroleum-rich South American country and calling for Maduro's immediate release.
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