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Venezuela’s deposed dictator Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty to multiple federal charges during his appearance before a New York City federal court , according to CNN.
Maduro raised questions over the legality of his arrest during his first appearance before a US federal court in New York, claiming he was detained at his residence in Caracas, Venezuela, CNN reported.
Speaking directly to the judge within minutes of the hearing, Maduro said, “I was captured at my home in Caracas, Venezuela.”
The remark signalled what is expected to be a central plank of his legal defence — that his arrest by US law enforcement on foreign soil amounted to an unlawful operation.
Maduro’s legal team has described the arrest as a “military abduction,” arguing that the late-night operation violated international law and due process protections. The defence is expected to challenge the jurisdiction of the US courts by questioning the circumstances under which the Venezuelan leader was taken into custody.
This is not the first instance of a defendant advancing such a claim. More than 30 years ago, Panama’s former leader, Manuel Noriega, argued that the United States had breached international law and due process by invading Panama and arresting him on foreign soil, according to CNN.
That defence, however, did not succeed. Courts at the time declined to examine the legality of the US invasion and instead confined their review to the charges detailed in Noriega’s indictment. It remains uncertain whether the judiciary will revisit that legal precedent in Maduro’s case, CNN reported.
