The judge set the date for the next hearing on March 17, at which Maduro is required to be present.
Photo Reuters. Nicolás Maduro and his wife arrived at the federal court in New York
At the hearing, Maduro declared his innocence, a similar statement was made by his wife Cilia Flores. The lawyers plan to file a motion for his release on bail.
After the hearing, which lasted approximately half an hour, Nicolás Maduro left the courtroom accompanied by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Outside the courthouse, protests were taking place, with participants calling for the release of detainees and expressing dissatisfaction with U.S. interference in Venezuela's affairs.
It is known that Nicolás Maduro chose Barry Pollack from Washington as his defense attorney, who previously successfully represented Julian Assange.
Pollack has several high-profile cases to his credit, including assisting Assange in reaching an agreement with U.S. authorities in 2024, which allowed him to be released. He also achieved acquittals for former Enron accountant Michael Krautz and Long Island resident Martin Tankleff, who spent 17 years in prison on false charges.
Assange became known for publishing a multitude of classified documents about military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as confidential materials from the U.S. State Department.
It is worth recalling that on January 3, explosions were heard in Caracas. As a result of a U.S. Air Force special operation, Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured and forcibly taken to one of the prisons in New York.
Maduro is accused of leading the criminal organization Cartel de los Soles, which is recognized as a terrorist group in the U.S., as well as complicity with Colombian drug cartels in the production and transportation of cocaine.
Additionally, he is charged with trafficking Venezuelan diplomatic passports, providing diplomatic cover for drug trafficking, and using thugs to eliminate competitors.
