Saturday, February 21, 2026

Maduro and Wife Pled Not Guilty Now Jan 30 Consular Visit Disclosed by US on Feb 17



Maduro and Wife Pled Not Guilty Now Jan 30 Consular Visit Disclosed by US on Feb 17

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Substack

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Feb 17 – First Cliver Antonio Alcala Cordones was charged as part of a wide indictment of the Venezuelan "Cartel de Los Soles" and Colombia's FARC.  Then El Pollo, brought to New York on July 20, 2023, see below.

On January 3, 2026 Nicolas Maduro and his wife were taken out of Venezuela and flown into Stewart International Airport in New York. A crowd gathered on Worth Street, celebrating the arrest. From the UN, different sounds (although no one knew where UNSG Antonio Guterres was).

On January 5 Inner City Press live tweeted the not guilty pleas and more, here
Maduro said he is head of state, motions are expected. Cilia Flores has bruised ribs, her retained lawyer said. Next is March 17.

More on Jan 6 on X for Subscribers here and Substack here

On February 2 the US Attorney's Office wrote in without explaining, "The adjournment is necessary to avoid scheduling and logistical issues in connection with the current March 17 date." Maduro's next conference was moved to March 26 at 11 am.

On February 17, the US Attorney's Office belatedly wrote in that the duo had a consular visit with a Venezuelan representative.

  Back on June 7, 2021 U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein held a proceeding. Inner City Press live tweeted it...

On April 8, Alcala spoke against Maduro, after which Judge Hellerstein sentenced him to 260 months. Thread here

On June 25 El Pollo pled guilty, and the trial was canceled: "former Venezuelan general HUGO ARMANDO CARVAJAL BARRIOS, a/k/a “El Pollo,” pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein to conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, engaging in narco-terrorism for the benefit of the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (the “FARC”), and related weapons offenses."

On November 4 the US Attorney's Office wrote in seeking to push sentencing back to late January 2026 to allow for a Fatico hearing, as the defense is contesting "nearly the entirety of the offense level calculations."

On November 5, " Sentencing is adjourned to Jan. 12, 2026, 10:30 a.m., and day to day thereafter until concluded., as to Hugo Armando Carvajal-Barrios. ( Sentencing set for 1/12/2026 at 10:30 AM before Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein. )(Signed by Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein on 11/5/2025)

More details on X for Subscribers here and Substack (with Spanish) here

The case is US v. Carvajal Barrios, et al., 11-cr-205 (Hellerstein)

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