Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro repeatedly tried to speak during his first court appearance in New York City on Monday, insisting “I am innocent.”

Maduro made the remarks during his arraignment in federal court on Monday, but Judge Alvin Hellerstein repeatedly shut down his attempts to speak. Maduro pleaded not guilty to all four counts against him.

“I am innocent. I am a decent man. I am still president of my country,” he argued.

Maduro also attempted to give a detailed description of his capture from Venezuela, but Hellerstein cut him off and said there would be time for him to make his case later.

Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, also pleaded not guilty to the three charges against her.

Maduro requested that he be able to keep the copious notes he took during his first court appearance in New York City on Monday.

Maduro could be seen writing on a note pad constantly during the Monday morning hearing. As the proceedings concluded, Judge Alvin Hellerstein asked Maduro if he understood what had taken place.

“Yes, I understood it and have taken notes. I would like to make a request. I would like to ask that my notes be respected, and that I am allowed to keep them,” Maduro responded through an interpreter.

Judge Hellerstein said he had no issue with Maduro keeping the notes.

Maduro responded to a Spanish-speaking heckler as he was led out of a New York City courtroom on Monday.

The heckler, 33-year-old Pedro Rojas, said that “in the name of the people of Venezuela, Maduro will pay,” according to a translation.

Maduro responded, saying in Spanish, “I am a kidnapped president. I am a prisoner of war.”

Rojas told reporters after the interaction that he was a prisoner in Venezuela for four months.

Meanwhile, Delcy Rodriguez, Venezuela’s vice president and oil minister, was formally sworn in Monday as the country’s interim president.

Rodriguez, 56, a close confidant to former leader Nicolas Maduro, was sworn in by her brother Jorge, who is the head of the National Assembly, Reuters reported.

Also sworn in Monday were were 283 Venezuelan lawmakers elected last May.

Rodriguez took over the role as interim president as Maduro made his court appearance in New York on federal narco-terrorism charges.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)