Maduro Says He Is a Prisoner of War, Not a Defendant. The Words Matter.
The New York Times••general
Key Points:
- Nicolás Maduro, the deposed Venezuelan leader, pleaded not guilty to federal charges in Manhattan, asserting he is a "prisoner of war" rather than a common criminal.
- Maduro claimed the Special Forces raid on his Venezuelan compound was a military action, not a law enforcement operation, and stated he had been "kidnapped."
- He faces charges of narco-terrorism and conspiring to import cocaine, but his claim of prisoner of war status is unlikely to affect the legal proceedings.
- Legal experts note that prisoners of war, as defined by international law and the Geneva Convention, are combatants captured during conflict and are not prosecuted solely for their affiliation.
- Maduro's argument challenges the nature of his
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