Maduro pleads not guilty in US court

Ousted leader denies trafficking charges

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Supporters of Nicolas Maduro hold signs outside of the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse before Mr Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores' arraignment on Monday in New York City.

(AFP)

Ousted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and other charges at a defiant appearance in a New York court Monday, two days after being snatched by US forces in a stunning raid on his home in Caracas.

Mr Maduro, 63, told a federal judge in Manhattan "I'm innocent. I'm not guilty."

Smiling as he entered the courtroom and wearing an orange shirt with beige trousers, Mr Maduro spoke softly.

"I'm president of the Republic of Venezuela and I'm here kidnapped since Jan 3, Saturday," he told the court, speaking in Spanish through an interpreter. "I was captured at my home in Caracas, Venezuela."