Calling himself a political prisoner, Maduro asserted his innocence of the four-count indictment after a whirlwind 72 hours that saw him captured in a US military operation in Caracas that has raised questions around violations of Venezuela’s sovereignty and international law.
At an emergency session of the Security Council, the US argued that it executed a law enforcement operation in furtherance of lawful indictments, while South Africa used the forum to argue that Washington’s actions were in stark contrast to established legal norms.
After an early helicopter ride from the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Centre, Maduro and his deposed first lady were escorted under heavy guard by Drug Enforcement Administration officials to their first court appearance in Manhattan for a 40-minute arraignment, where not guilty pleas on drugs and weapons charges were confirmed. Protestors split outside the court, some calling for their immediate release and slamming the US actions as unlawful overreach.
–SABC–
