Venezuela’s ousted President Nicolas Maduro is scheduled to appear in a US court for the first time on Monday. He faces narco-terrorism charges, which the Trump administration used to justify his capture and bringing him to New York.
Maduro and his wife will appear before a judge at noon local time for a short, but urgent, legal proceeding. This is likely to trigger a lengthy legal battle over whether he can be prosecuted in the US.
The pair have been brought from a Brooklyn jail to the Manhattan Courthouse, just across the street from the one where President Donald Trump was convicted in 2024 of falsifying business records. Maduro’s lawyers are expected to question the legality of his arrest, arguing that as a sovereign head of state he is immune from trial.
The heavily guarded armored vehicle that took Maduro to court
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was taken to court in a Lenco Bearcat armored vehicle, a move that attracted attention because of its special security arrangements. It is a heavily armored tactical vehicle, emphasizing that security has been increased due to increasing domestic and international pressure on Maduro and his legal proceedings.
Let us tell you that as a criminal accused in the American legal system, Maduro will have the same rights as a person accused of any other crime, including the right to a trial by a jury of ordinary New Yorkers. But it will also be almost, but not completely, unique.