Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has pleaded not guilty to United States narcotics charges as his Vice President was sworn in as interim head of the nation.
Maduro made his not guilty plea in a federal court in Manhattan, New York, alongside his lawyer Barry Pollack, a Washington-based attorney, who represented Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and negotiated his release from custody.
"I am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man. I am still president of my country," Maduro, began to say through an interpreter, before being cut off by U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein.
His wife, who was also abducted by U.S. forces in the Trump administration military-led raid over the weekend, pleaded not guilty as well, and their next court date is set for 17 March .
Meanwhile, Vice President and Oil Minister Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as interim President of Venezuela.
Rodriguez, who served as a labor lawyer before stepping into the realm of politics, addressed Venezuela’s National Assembly as she came to take her oath.
“I come with pain over the kidnapping of two heroes who are being held hostage: President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores,” she said.
“I swear to work tirelessly to guarantee the peace, spiritual, economic and social tranquillity of our people.”
