• Nicolás Maduro pleads not guilty to drug trafficking and weapons charges in U.S. court.
• Maduro claims he is the legitimate president of Venezuela despite his capture.
• The charges include narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine into the U.S.

On Monday, former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, appeared in a New York court, pleading not guilty to a series of federal drug trafficking and weapons charges. Maduro asserted his innocence, saying, "I'm innocent. I'm not guilty — I'm a decent man," and emphasized, "I am still president of my country," during the proceedings before U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who was tasked with overseeing the legal processes involved in their case, according to CBS News, India Times, and HuffPost.

Following their extraordinary military capture by U.S. forces, which Maduro characterized as a "kidnapping," the couple faced numerous charges including narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, and various weapons-related offenses. "I was captured at my home in Caracas, Venezuela," he stated, claiming U.S. control over the situation, as reported by Le Monde and Channel News Asia.

The legal team for Maduro is led by Barry Pollack, a notable attorney who previously represented Julian Assange. Pollack indicated the defense would challenge the legality of Maduro's capture, describing it as a "military abduction." Neither Maduro nor Flores sought bail ahead of their upcoming trial, expected to further illuminate the implications of this unprecedented arrest, according to AA and AA.

U.S. prosecutors allege that Maduro's administration has played a central role in a drug trafficking operation that has significantly impacted the United States, claiming he used his position of power to facilitate cocaine shipments. The next court date for Maduro and Flores is set for March 17, suggesting a protracted legal battle ahead, as reported by Channel News Asia and HuffPost.