NEW YORK — Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty Monday to federal drug trafficking charges in a New York courtroom.
According to the Associated Press, Maduro told the court he was innocent and said he had been wrongfully captured during a late-night military operation at his home.
“I’m innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the president of my country,” Maduro said as he entered his plea, according to the AP.
Maduro was first charged in March 2020 in the Southern District of New York. The charges included narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
The U.S. government has steadily increased its reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest or conviction. The State Department initially offered up to $15 million in 2020. That reward rose to $25 million in January 2025 and was increased again to as much as $50 million in August after the Treasury Department designated the Cartel of the Suns as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist organization. U.S. officials allege Maduro is the group’s leader, making him the first target in the Narcotics Rewards Program to carry a reward exceeding $25 million.
A 25-page indictment made public Saturday accuses Maduro and others of working with drug cartels to facilitate the shipment of thousands of tons of cocaine into the United States. If convicted, he could face life in prison.
However, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s 2025 National Drug Threat Assessment identifies Mexico as the primary producer and exporter of fentanyl to the U.S., with China as a leading manufacturer. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s 2025 World Drug Report classifies Venezuela as a minor transit country for cocaine.
Maduro and his allies have long denied the accusations, saying U.S. actions are driven by interest in Venezuela’s oil and mineral resources.
Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, also pleaded not guilty Monday. According to the AP, Flores appeared in court with bandages on her forehead and right temple. Her attorney said she suffered “significant injuries” during her capture.
