Maduro Calls Himself a 'Prisoner of War' at Manhattan Arraignment

Nicolás Maduro, the deposed Venezuelan leader who pleaded not guilty to federal charges, told a Manhattan federal court on Monday that he was a "prisoner of war," not a common criminal defendant, and said he had been "kidnapped." The remarks came during an arraignment at the Federal District Court building in Lower Manhattan before Judge Alvin K.

Hellerstein. Mr. Maduro faces federal charges including narco-terrorism and conspiring to import cocaine. He and his lawyers framed the seizure of him and his wife, Cilia Flores, as a military action rather than a law enforcement operation; the Trump administration has described the operation as a law enforcement action while at times discussing its actions toward Venezuela in wartime terms.

Legal experts cited in the hearing noted the difference between being treated as a prisoner of war and as a criminal defendant. According to the Geneva Convention, a prisoner of war is a legal combatant with limited obligations when questioned, different confinement rules and is not tried for personal guilt; by contrast, a criminal defendant faces charges and a civilian trial.

Columbia Law professor Daniel C. Richman said such a claim is unlikely to alter the criminal case and that, even if Mr. Maduro raises international law or head-of-state immunity, the matter will be decided as a criminal case. Judge Hellerstein interrupted Mr. Maduro during his remarks, saying, "There will be time and place to get into all of this." Mr.

Key Topics

World, Nicolas Maduro, Manhattan, Trump Administration, Delta Force, Cilia Flores