Maduro and his wife plead not guilty in court

Nicolás Maduro appeared in federal court in New York on Monday to face charges of drug trafficking and narcoterrorism. US authorities accuse him of running a cocaine network linked to Mexico's Sinaloa and Zetas cartels, Colombia's FARC rebels and Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang.

During a hearing before Judge Alvin Hellerstein, Maduro confirmed his identity and pleaded not guilty. His wife, Cilia Flores, did the same. At the same time, Maduro described himself as a decent man and head of the Venezuelan state. The judge subsequently ordered the deposed president to attend a court hearing on 17 March.

They were escorted to the courtroom from a detention centre in Brooklyn after their dramatic detention by US special forces in Caracas.

The crackdown, which resembled a military operation, triggered a worldwide debate on the legality of the US action. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed fears of instability and questioned the legal framework of the intervention.

While Caracas has strongly condemned Maduro's detention, the world is watching an unprecedented move by the US that is reminiscent of the 1989 invasion of Panama.

(reuters, mja)