Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, made their first U.S. court appearance after their dramatic capture. On Monday, they appeared before a Manhattan federal court in New York.

First, the couple flew by helicopter from the detention center to a landing site near the courthouse. Then, they boarded an armored vehicle for the short drive to the court. Reporters on the scene captured their arrival and transfer in real time.

Maduro appeared to be limping as he entered the courtroom, and his hands were fastened with cable ties. Meanwhile, Flores had a visible black eye when she stepped off the helicopter.

Furthermore, Flores’ attorney asked the court for a detailed X‑ray examination. He said she was injured during the military arrest and needs proper medical evaluation.

At the hearing, both Maduro and his wife denied the charges against them. Maduro entered a plea of not guilty to four counts, including narcoterrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine. Flores was also indicted as a co‑conspirator in the cocaine importation case.

Moreover, Maduro told the court he is innocent and claimed he was “kidnapped” during the operation. He also insisted that he remains the president of Venezuela.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino previously stated that most of Maduro’s security team died during the U.S. military strike that led to the couple’s arrest.

According to reports, the U.S. deployed its elite Delta Force unit during the operation, and the raid lasted about three hours. No U.S. military casualties were reported, while Venezuelan casualties exceeded 80.

The couple’s legal case has now begun, and a judge has scheduled future proceedings. Next, Maduro and Flores are due back in court on March 17.

In the courtroom, lawyers for both defendants argued aspects of their case, including medical evaluations and challenges to the legality of their capture.

Overall, the appearance marked a tense moment in a high‑profile international case that has drawn global attention.

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