Nicholas Maduro's lawyer is the defender who freed Julian Assange
The judge set the date for the next hearing on March 17.
Photo by Reuters. Nicolás Maduro and his wife arrived at the federal court in New York
During the hearing, Maduro declared his innocence, which was also supported by his wife, Cilia Flores. The legal team intends to subsequently seek release on bail.
After the court session, which lasted about 30 minutes, Nicolás and his wife left the courtroom under the protection of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Protests were held outside the courthouse, where demonstrators demanded the release of those arrested and called on the U.S. not to interfere in Venezuela's affairs.
It became known that Nicolás Maduro chose Washington attorney Barry Pollack. Pollack previously secured the release of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
The attorney has extensive experience, including successful cases. In 2024, he helped Assange reach a deal with U.S. authorities, leading to his release. He also achieved acquittals for Michael Krautz, a former Enron accountant, and Martin Tankleff, who spent 17 years in prison on false charges.
Julian Assange became known for the publication of WikiLeaks, which disclosed thousands of classified documents regarding military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as materials from the U.S. State Department.
It is worth noting that on the night of January 3, explosions were heard in Caracas. Reports indicated that the U.S. Air Force conducted a special operation during which Nicolás Maduro and his wife were arrested and subsequently taken to a prison in New York.
Maduro has been accused of leading the criminal organization Cartel de los Soles, which has been recognized as a terrorist group by the U.S., as well as conspiring with Colombian drug cartels.
Additionally, the former president faces charges of trafficking Venezuelan diplomatic passports, providing cover for drug trafficking, and using criminal groups to eliminate competitors.
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