Here’s what to expect in the legal case against Maduro : NPR
NPR••nation
Key Points:
- Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty to charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy and cocaine importation during their initial court appearance in Manhattan following their capture by U.S. forces.
- Legal experts anticipate a lengthy legal process involving pretrial motions, potential plea negotiations, and possibly a jury trial, with Maduro's head-of-state immunity and the legality of his U.S. seizure likely to be key defense arguments.
- The U.S. stopped recognizing Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate president in 2019, but precedent exists for prosecuting foreign leaders, as seen in cases against Manuel Noriega, Alfonso Portillo, and Juan Orlando Hernández.
- The manner of Maduro’s arrest—by U.S. military
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