Courtroom Sketch Of Maduro And Wife Shows Them In Jail Outfits, Wearing Band-Aids

A sketch of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from their first appearance in an American court was released on Monday.

Dressed in blue and orange jail-issued shirts and khaki pants, the sketch shows Maduro and Flores standing before a Manhattan judge during the proceedings. Flores had two large band-aids on her face.

They were both seen wearing headphones to listen to a translated version of the proceedings in Spanish. The court conducted the hearing in English.

The attorney was seated between them as the hearing got underway. Maduro even took notes on a yellow legal pad throughout the hearing and asked the judge if he would be allowed to keep the notepad with him after the proceedings concluded, BBC reported.

During the 40-minute arraignment, Maduro told 92-year-old Judge Alvin Hellerstein, "I'm innocent. I'm a decent man," with Flores adding that she was "completely innocent".

The two pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges, saying they had been "kidnapped" by US forces from their home in Caracas. Maduro described himself as a "prisoner of war" and repeatedly insisted on his innocence.

"I'm innocent. I am not guilty of anything," Maduro said several times during the proceedings, according to CNBC.

Maduro is facing multiple criminal charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, cocaine importation conspiracy, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the US.

According to the US indictment, prosecutors have also accused Flores of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes as part of an alleged corruption scheme linked to drug trafficking.

Court documents claim that in 2007, Flores helped arrange a meeting between a “large-scale drug trafficker” and the director of Venezuela's National Anti-Drug Office in exchange for substantial payments.

On Saturday, the US carried out a large military operation in Venezuela and attacked the key targets.

Maduro and his wife did not seek bail during the proceedings and will remain in federal custody. The judge has scheduled the next hearing for March 17.