New York, Jan 5 (IANS) Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro is in a federal court on Monday to face charges of narco-terrorism after his capture by US forces in his country.

Maduro and his wife, Cilio Flores, arrived at the courthouse from the notorious federal lockup, Metropolitan Detention Centre (MDC), after they were helicoptered into Manhattan and driven under heavy escort to the courthouse.

The federal court announced that they will make their initial appearance at noon before Alvin Hellerstein.

At the hearing, they will be defended by David Wikstrom, who was appointed by the court to defend them. They could later hire personal lawyers.

The two Venezuelans are expected to plead not guilty – deny their charges – at the hearing, where the judge will also decide on their continued detention.

He is very unlikely to consider bail for them, which would be the normal course for a high-profile case like this, and remand them to custody.

At the MDC, Maduro and Flores were held separately and in solitary confinement.

Because of the high security risks, officials avoided the bridges and tunnels connecting Manhattan, where the court is located, and Brooklyn across the East River, where the MDC is located, and used a helicopter to fly them to a helipad close to the court.

Hundreds of people, both supporters and opponents, have gathered outside the court in the frigid weather, waving Venezuelan flags and holding posters, and police set up barricades to keep them apart.

The main charges against them include narco-terrorism conspiracy for allegedly trafficking tonnes of cocaine to the US using Venezuelan military and intelligence to protect cocaine shipments and use clandestine airstrips.

Another serious charge is possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess them, which would strengthen the narco-terrorism allegations.

The severest punishment for some of the charges that Maduro faces is the death penalty.

Maduro is also charged with money laundering and corruption for transferring the money obtained through the drug operations.

Switzerland said it was freezing his assets in that country.

Wikstrom is a well-known defence lawyer who has represented international drug traffickers.

One of those he has defended was the brother of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was convicted on drug trafficking and conspiracy charges, but was recently pardoned by Trump.

In a lightning operation, Maduro and his wife were seized by US forces from a heavily fortified military base in Venezuela on Saturday morning and brought to New York City.

Trump said that the trial could take place in New York or be transferred to Florida, which has the biggest expatriate population of Venezuelans in the US.

The MDC, where Maduro and Flores are housed, is so bad that in 2024, a federal judge said the conditions at the MDC created “exceptional reasons” for not remanding a man there.

It has housed terrorists Omar Abdel Rahman and Ramzi Yousef, notorious arms trafficker Viktor Bout, Mexican drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzman, financial scammer Sam Bankman-Fried, and rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs.

Pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, whose circle of acquaintances included powerful politicians, businessmen, and celebrities, was found dead there, and officials say it was a suicide.

Maduro’s jailmates include Luigi Mangione, who is on trial, accused of killing United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and has taken on the aura of a folk hero.

–IANS

al/dan