Maduro Faces US Drug Charges, Claims 'Prisoner of War' Status in New York Court

• Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro appeared in a New York federal court, pleading not guilty to narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking charges after his capture by US forces.
• Maduro declared himself a "prisoner of war" and "not a criminal defendant," challenging the legal basis of his transfer and the US operation.
• The 25-page indictment alleges Maduro and his inner circle turned Venezuela into a major cocaine transit hub for over two decades, partnering with cartels like FARC and Sinaloa.
• Prosecutors accuse Maduro of using state institutions and diplomatic cover to facilitate drug trafficking, with his wife Cilia Flores and son Nicolás Ernesto Maduro Guerra also implicated.
• Legal experts believe Maduro's "prisoner of war" claim is unlikely to succeed, as US courts are expected to treat it as a standard criminal case, citing the Manuel Noriega precedent.

Why It Matters: Maduro's US trial for narco-terrorism begins, but his "prisoner of war" claim challenges its legal foundation.