Venezuela’s deposed President Nicolas Maduro will remain in United States (US) detention until his next court appearance on March 17 after he and his wife, Cilia Flores, both pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking related charges in a New York federal courtroom.
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 United States 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.
“We’re here for the arraignment to say, free Maduro, to say the US has no right to be holding the president of Venezuela and his wife Celia Flores in US courts. The charges are lies and they’re actually a cover for the real political agenda, which is regime change,” said protestor Sydney Loving.
While others hailed the Trump administration for removing someone they viewed as a tyrant.
“There is no going back. Nicolás Maduro today is going to be brought to justice after 14 years of running our country, after more than 20 years of a ruthless dictatorship. And it is time for freedom. It is time for democracy,” said Venezuelan immigrant Rafael Escalante.
VIDEO| Protestors gather outside court in New York as Maduro and his wife appear in court:
UN emergency session
While proceedings played themselves out in court, a few kilometres up the road at the United Nations (UN), an emergency session of the Security Council, where South Africa was also able to take the floor, citing the use of unlawful, unilateral force by the United States, was underway.
“The unilateral military strikes carried out by the United States of America against Venezuela and the abduction of President Nicolás Maduro and his spouse from Venezuelan territory for transfer to the United States wantonly violate the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Venezuela. These actions are also in stark contrast to our established legal norms, reinforcing the belief that might is right and undermining and diplomacy. History has repeatedly demonstrated that military invasions against sovereign States yield only instability and deepen crises,” said SA representative Jonathan Passmoor.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, through his Under Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo, echoed those concerns.
“I remain deeply concerned that rules of international law have not been respected with regard to the 3 January military action. The Charter enshrines the prohibition of the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. The maintenance of international peace and security depends on the continued commitment of all Member States to adhere to all the provisions of the Charter,” said USG: Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary Dicarlo.
But the United States remained unmoved.
“There is no war against Venezuela or its people. We are not occupying a country. This was a law enforcement operation in furtherance of lawful indictments that have existed for decades. The United States arrested a narco-trafficker who is now going to stand trial in the United States in accordance with the rule of law for the crimes he’s committed against our people for 15 years,” said US Ambassador Mike Waltz.
Venezuela’s envoy called for Maduro and his wife’s immediate release and safe return home.
“Venezuela is the victim of these attacks because of its natural resources, our country’s oil, energy, strategic resources and geopolitical position have historically been factors of greed and external pressure. When force is used to control resources, impose governments or redesign states, we are faced with a logic that harks back to the worst practices of colonialism, and neo-colonialism,” said Venezuela’s Ambassador Samuel Moncada.
With Maduro’s next court appearance now expected on 17 March, expect a prolonged legal fight to now begin to play itself out, no less a question about jurisdiction and whether he and Celia Flores could be put on trial in the United States after what his defence attorney framed as a “military abduction”.
As international law, the UN Charter and the sovereignty of member states appear increasingly fragile given the posture of some of the world’s most powerful countries in recent years and a Security Council hamstrung by its very makeup.
VIDEO| UN session on Maduro’s arrest:
