Maduro, Wife Plead Not Guilty to All Federal Counts
Maduro: “I’m innocent. I’m not guilty. I am a decent man.”
Fallen Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia arrived at a courthouse to be arraigned on four charges:
- Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy
- Cocaine Importation Conspiracy
- Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices
- Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices
The arraignment likely won’t last long. It’s expected that the Maduros will plead not guilty, and the judge will keep them detained.
Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, 92, entered the courtroom.
Maduro is at the table, along with his wife Cilia, wearing headphones for translation.
Maduro calls himself the Venezuelan president, claiming he was kidnapped:
Maduro is standing and speaking in Spanish, saying he was captured at his home in Caracas, Venezuela. As he starts speaking rapidly, Judge Hellerstein interrupts, telling him “there will be time and place to get into all of this,” and that for now he is asking only for his identity. Maduro repeats that he is, in fact, Nicolás Maduro Moros.
Maduro responded, “I am the president of Venezuela. I was captured at my home in Caracas, Venezuela.”
Yeah, you’re not in Venezuela. You are in America, Maduro, and we have rules in our courtroom.
Barry Pollack is representing Maduro. He once represented Julian Assange.
Maduro said, “I’m innocent. I’m not guilty. I am a decent man.”
Pollack told the court that Maduro is entering a not guilty plea. He’s also not seeking to be released right now.
Cilia also pleads not guilty, claims she’s “completely innocent.”
Hellerstein schedules the next hearing for March 17.
[Featured image via YouTube]
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Comments
her defense?
uhhh..hubby told her he was a stockbroker and she had no idea otherwise
Judge: You are being accused of raking in millions of dollars. Did all of that money come through drug trafficking?
Maduro: No, some of it came through my Day Care Centers in Minnesota.
Good one!
And the judge for the Southern District of NY? There’s the answer to what happens next. Get ready for another clown show.
As we were taught in law school…..”I don’t care how he got here, he’s here!” (Even this senile jurist knows that if he ROR’s Maduro, the Second Circus will quickly overrrule the decision).
Some reports are she was the brains behind him. As a bus driver he’s maybe not in league with a lot of people. But she was a chevez ally and power broker.
Hang them both.
He is a clown, always singing , giving the peace sign and wearing a pu$$y hat
When are we going to confiscate the money that Hugo Charvez’s daughters made off with. María Chávez alone swiped 4-5 billion from the Venezuelan people as well as U.S. companies that were nationalized. Then she was allowed to live lavishly in NYC as a UN ambassador (!) while we did nothing.
1. Is that money in the USA?
2. If she was an ambassador to the UN then there was nothing we could do.
Maduro: I’m not guilty of narco trafficking!
Judge: Where did the 100 billion in your offshore account come from?
Maduro: Nancy Pelosi invested it for me.
DOJ: How long will the trial last?
Judge: At 92, my life expectancy is about 6 months
I was a little surprised that they entered pleas. Why did they attorn to the jurisdiction? Strategically I would have thought they should have denied the jurisdiction of the court ab initio. Help me understand this.
I was a little surprised when, rather than denying the jurisdiction of the court, they instead raised minor medical issues. I was even more surprised the judge didn’t respond, “Hey at 92 I have more medical issues than both of you put together.”
How would denying the jurisdiction have helped them?
I mean, it’s not like you’d expect an ACTUAL sovereign to plead an argument that domestic “sovereign citizens” attempt every day.
For several reasons.
1. You retain the argument that the court lacks jurisdiction. This is an important point that needs adjudication and clarification.
2. It could be right at least on some charges. For example the “machine gun” charges. Could they have gotten extradition on those charges? (Are they crimes in Venezuela?). If not how can you get jurisdiction in a US court over a non crime in another state? It would have been a useful argument.
3. Even if the law is not on their side, they might win the argument in light of the current state of the Federal bench.
4. Because you fight to ensure a fair trial.
I am as pleased, personally, as anyone to see Maduro in handcuffs. He stole a country. But I also believe in due process. That is why I think that argument is worth making.
No, it isn’t. Under US law, which is the only law that matters, the court’s jurisdiction is clear.
This doesn’t go to the court’s jurisdiction, it’s a challenge to the charge. How is it a crime in the USA to possess machine guns in another country? They will surely make that argument when the time comes, and they ought to win, but this wasn’t it.
Do you mean they should have gambled that the judge would be so anti-Trump that he would actually falsely say he had no jurisdiction!? That doesn’t seem like something that could happen.
Indeed they should, and they will get one. In a US federal court.
Maduro, “My name is Nicolas Maduro. I am the president of Venezuela.”
Judge: Prove you are Maduro by doing a little dance for us.
I am certain that Maduro will walk out of the courtroom to a triumphant return to his country (even if security will be provided by the Cuban Army and FARC).
The Biden administration’s 2020 indictment for narco-terrorism was a symbolic gesture which they had no expectation of enforcing. Further, the SDNY so hates Trump that they will do anything to spite him.
I am sure Delcy Rodriguez will be able to round up enough Chavista thugs to keep Venezuelans at home.
Biden?! In 2020 the president was Donald J. Trump.