De un desafiente y soberbio Maduro a un simple reo ante un juez: históricos momentos de este proceso

Nicolás Maduro will face his third court hearing in the United States this Wednesday, July 22. Six months after his capture on January 3, 2016, the ousted Venezuelan dictator remains detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, facing criminal charges for drug trafficking and illegal possession of firearms. During his first court hearing on January 4, Maduro attempted to present himself to Judge Albert Hellerstein as "President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela," claiming to have been "kidnapped in a U.S. military intervention." The judge immediately interrupted: "Sir, I only asked for your name," establishing from the outset that he would not recognize political titles in his courtroom. When asked how he pleaded, Maduro replied: "I am innocent, I am not guilty, I am a decent man." Judge Hellerstein has maintained a firm stance throughout the proceedings, making it clear that this is a "criminal trial" based on criminal acts, evidence, and testimony, not a political process. In the second hearing, Cilia Flores, Maduro's wife, also faced the judge's disapproval when her lawyer referred to her as "the first lady." Hellerstein was emphatic: "Titles are not used in this court. There are no first ladies here. This is a trial." The defense strategy attempted to have the case dismissed, arguing a lack of resources to pay legal fees, given that both Maduro and Flores are on the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) list. The judge categorically rejected the request: "I will not dismiss the case," generating a spontaneous reaction from the public. The magistrate subsequently authorized the use of frozen Venezuelan assets to finance the defense, a decision that has sparked outrage among the Venezuelan population. #NTN24 | More information at http://www.ntn24.com | Or in Venezuela at http://www.ntn24america.com Subscribe to our channel:    / ntn24   Follow us on social media! Twitter:   / ntn24   Facebook:   / ntn24   Instagram:   / ntn24