NEW YORK—Former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty to narcoterrorism charges brought by the United States government in the Southern District Court of New York.

Maduro, who was arrested on January 3 after a military attack in Caracas, faces four Charges: 1) conspiracy as a narco-terrorist, 2) conspiracy to import and export narcotics, 3) conspiracy to import cocaine, and 4) possession of weapons, including machine guns and destructive devices.

The former Venezuelan president appeared before District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, who will preside over Maduro's trial, to begin on a date to be determined.

The indictment against Maduro also included his wife, Cilia Flores, as well as Nicolas Maduro Moros, Diosdado Cabello Rendon, and Ramon Rodriguez Chacin, who are accused of conspiracy to traffic drugs and engage in narco-terrorism from 1999 to 2025.

“The defendants, and other persons, known and unknown, engaged, and in fact engaged, in conduct punishable under Title 21 of the United States Code, Section 841(a), if committed within the “US jurisdiction, namely, the distribution and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of mixtures and substances containing a detectable amount of cocaine, knowingly and with the intent to provide, directly or indirectly, something of pecuniary value to a person and organization that has engaged and is engaged in terrorist activities," the indictment states. The US Department of Justice argues that Maduro, Cabello Rondon, and Rodriguez Chacin have associated with narco-terrorists from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia ("FARC"), the National Liberation Army ("ELN"), the Sinaloa Cartel, Los Zetas, and the Tren de Aragua (“TdA”), including TdA leader Hector Rustenford Guerrero Flores, aka “Nino Guerrero.” The cartels are now also considered terrorist organizations by the administration of President Donald Trump. “In short, Maduro Moros and his accomplices have associated themselves for decades with some of the world's most violent and prolific drug traffickers and narco-terrorists, and have relied on corrupt officials,” the complaint states.