President Donald Trump commented this Thursday on Nicolás Maduro's second court hearing at the Federal Court in Manhattan, stating that the charges presented so far represent only a fraction of the crimes of the former Venezuelan leader and warned that more accusations will follow.
"Only a fraction of the types of things he has done have been processed. Other cases will be presented, as you probably already know,” the president stated.
Trump made the statements during a meeting with his cabinet at the White House, which included Secretary of State, Marco Rubio; Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth; and Attorney General, Pam Bondi, according to remarks reported by news media present at the meeting.
It was precisely Bondi whom Trump directly questioned for not having yet filed charges related to the alleged "emptying of Venezuelan prisons" into the United States.
The official stated that Maduro "emptied his prisons in Venezuela and emptied them into the U.S., and that he was a significant supplier of drugs that entered U.S. territory."
Regarding that specific charge, Trump was straightforward: "I hope that charge is brought forth at some point, because it was an important charge that has not yet been presented. It should be presented."
Trump also described the former Venezuelan dictator in strong terms.
"He is a very, very dangerous man who has killed many people and forced individuals to enter our country," asserted the president.
These statements add to those made in January, when Trump outlined Maduro's crimes following his capture.
While Trump made these statements, Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores appeared to testify at noon on this March 26 before Judge Alvin Hellerstein, in the Southern District of New York.
Maduro and his wife were transferred early in the morning from the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center in a convoy of three closed, windowless vans.
In front of the court, two groups of demonstrators gathered, for and against the detention, creating moments of tension.
Today's hearing is key to resolving the conflict over defense funding and to setting the procedural timetable.
Attorneys Barry J. Pollack and Mark E. Donnelly argue that the United States violates the Sixth Amendment by blocking the use of Venezuelan funds.
The defense also seeks to dismiss the case by arguing the illegality of the arrest, which occurred on January 3 during the "Operation Absolute Resolution," a military operation in Caracas that involved the Delta Force unit with support from the CIA and Colombian intelligence.
Maduro faces four charges -conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of firearms, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices- that may result in life imprisonment.
Cilia Flores faces similar charges. According to experts cited by the EFE agency, the trial would not begin for another one to two years.
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