Footage of Venezuela’s former president Nicolás Maduro in a khaki jacket, handcuffed and limping as he is escorted to a US court has gone viral, intensifying global debate over his dramatic capture and the legality of Washington’s high-stakes operation.
Footage of Venezuela’s ousted President Nicolás Maduro being moved to a court in New York has gone viral on social media. Videos show him in a khaki jacket and bright shoes, handcuffed and walking with a noticeable limp as US law enforcement escorts him under heavy security.
Maduro’s wife has ‘SEVERE BRUISING on her rib’ — lawyer says in court
‘Will need appropriate attention’
Not stated if injuries sustained during kidnapping by US pic.twitter.com/KcNFRv6w23
— RT (@RT_com) January 5, 2026
Note: Firstpost could not independently verify the authenticity of the video
Maduro, 63, was flown from a detention facility in Brooklyn to the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in Manhattan, where he appeared for his initial hearing on federal charges. In the viral clips, he is seen stepping off an armoured vehicle and being guided toward the courthouse complex.
What are the charges against Maduro?
The specific charges are:
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Narco-terrorism conspiracy: Prosecutors allege Maduro led the “Cartel of the Suns,” a criminal organisation of high-ranking Venezuelan officials that partnered with the FARC (Colombian guerrillas) to use cocaine as a “weapon” to flood the United States.
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Cocaine importation conspiracy: The US claims Maduro oversaw the shipment of up to 250 tonnes of cocaine annually, using Venezuelan state infrastructure—including military airbases and naval ports—to facilitate transit.
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Possession of machine guns and destructive devices: This charge relates to the heavy weaponry allegedly used by his security forces and paramilitary partners to protect drug shipments.
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Conspiracy to possess machine guns: A secondary count involving the coordination and distribution of weapons to narco-terrorist groups.
Each of these counts carries a potential sentence of 20 years to life in prison.
The prosecution’s case rests on the idea that Maduro didn’t just look the other way, but actively managed a criminal enterprise for over 25 years, from his time as a legislator in 2000 through his presidency. They allege he traded “diplomatic cover” for bribes, allowing Mexican cartels like Sinaloa and the Zetas to operate freely in exchange for funds that helped him maintain his grip on power.
Maduro, in response told a federal judge in Manhattan that he had been “kidnapped” from Venezuela and said “I’m innocent, I’m not guilty.”
“I’m still the President of my country,” he was quoted as saying.
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