Judge Hellerstein has entered the courtroom & proceedings are beginning. #Maduro has appeared, wearing a shortlseeve navy shirt over orange jail garb. His hair is streaked with grey & he is taking notes.
Maduro is wearing black over-the-ear headphones for translation, as is his wife, #CiliaFlores, who is sitting 2 seats away from him in a similar same navy & orange outfit. Both have shackles around their ankles.
#MafiaState #law #criminal #Trump #Venezuela #oil #sovereignty #InternationalLaw 🧵
Judge #Hellerstein says that it is his job to ensure a fair proceeding & a fair #trial, if it comes to that. “That’s my job & that’s my intent,” he says. He is now summarizing the indictment.
The judge asks #Maduro to identify himself. Maduro does so, in Spanish, calling himself the president of the republic of #Venezuela, & saying he is here, “ #kidnapped.”
#MafiaState #law #criminal #Trump #abduction #CiliaFlores #Venezuela #oil #sovereignty #InternationalLaw 🧵