The Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, has stated that he is “good and firm” with his wife, Cilia Flores, in a message released this Saturday
The statement, published on social networks, comes at a key moment in the judicial process he faces in the United States and in which the judge has decided
In his message, the president wanted thank you for the support received by citizens inside and outside of Venezuela. “Your communications, your messages, your emails, your letters and your prayers have reached us. Every word of love, every gesture of affection, every expression of support fills our soul and strengthens us spiritually. We are well, firm, serene and in constant prayer,” they noted.
“Today more than ever we call to continue consolidating the country’s peace, national unity, reconciliation, forgiveness and reunion between everyone. Let no one deviate from the path of dialogue, coexistence and respect, because that is the path of the country, that is the path of good,” they continued in the statement.
The statement comes after his final court appearance in New York, where Judge Alvin Hellerstein refused to dismiss the court case against him, although he questioned some aspects related to the sanctions imposed by the United States.
One of the most debated points is access to funds to pay for his defense. His lawyer, Barry Pollack, has warned that he could abandon the case if the Venezuelan government is not allowed to cover legal fees, considering that current restrictions hinder the right to an adequate defense.
Maduro and Flores remain detained in New York since their capture on January 3 during a US military operation. Both have pleaded not guilty to the charges, which include alleged drug trafficking activities and conspiracy to smuggle cocaine into the United States.
