Maduro has said in the US court, ‘I am a kidnapped President and a prisoner of war.’
After his arrest from Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduro gave his statement in the US court. He said, I have been kidnapped. On January 3, I was caught from Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. During the proceedings in the court, a man asked him, Maduro, will you pay for your crimes? To this Maduro replied, ‘I am a kidnapped President and a prisoner of war.’
The words emanating from Maduro’s statement in the court have sparked a debate on ‘prisoner’s war’. Maduro has used this word to prove himself innocent. This is when US President Donald Trump holds him guilty of increasing drugs and addiction. Trump had already announced a huge amount of money to capture Maduro. When Maduro refused to accept defeat before Trump, the US military attacked Venezuela. President Maduro and his wife were arrested and brought to America. Both were presented in the court, where they declared themselves innocent of the charges related to drugs and weapons.
Now the question arises that what is the meaning of the word prisoner of war used by Maduro in his statement, will it affect the legal process, or what will happen if he is convicted of drug cases as per Trump’s statement? How much punishment will you get? Know the answers to these questions.
What is the meaning of the word prisoner of war?
In common language, a soldier of an enemy country arrested during war is called a prisoner of war. Prisoner of war is also a legal term. Let us understand this according to American law.According to Cornell Law School of New York, this term refers to a soldier recruited in the US Army who was detained by the government of any nation during or after the war.
People protesting outside the Manhattan Federal Court and Maduro in custody.
According to American law, the families of prisoners of war also have the right to receive compensation. In this law, a prisoner of war refers to a person held as a prisoner of war for any period after December 7, 1941, by the government of any nation with which the United States has been at war after that date.
How many rights does a prisoner of war have?
The 1949 Geneva Conventions stipulated that non-combatants, such as civilians and medical personnel, as well as combatants no longer actively engaged in combat, such as prisoners of war (POWs), and wounded or sick soldiers, should be treated humanely.
If a prisoner of war dies or his health is seriously endangered due to any illegal act or omission by the detaining country, it will be considered a serious violation of the rules. A prisoner of war cannot be beaten. Can’t torture him. It is mandatory to provide him food, water and treatment. In this way Maduro has tried to get this right by calling himself a prisoner of war.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro
Is a prisoner of war a criminal?
International law says that a prisoner of war does not become a criminal merely because he fought a war. A case can be filed against him only if he has committed a crime. There is a difference between a war prisoner and a war criminal. A prisoner of war is a captured soldier and his rights are protected. But this is not the case with war criminals. At the same time, a war criminal is one who breaks the rules of war. He may be punished.
How many charges did Maduro face?
US President Donald Trump has made not one but many allegations against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. It has been claimed that America has eliminated 97 percent of the drugs coming through the sea route. Most of the drugs come from Venezuela. US Attorney General Pamela Bondi wrote on Twitter, “Nicolas Maduro is accused of narco-terrorism conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and dangerous devices. However, along with Maduro, his wife has also been arrested and interestingly, some kind of cases will be prosecuted against him.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in US custody
How much punishment will you get?
How much punishment Madura will receive in the entire case will be decided after the allegations are confirmed. If these allegations are proved to be true, then according to American law, only in case of narco terrorism, the punishment can be 20 years or it can be converted into life imprisonment. Along with this, fine can also be imposed. This will happen only if an allegation is true. There are many allegations against Maduro. From this it can be understood how much Maduro’s problems will increase if he is proven guilty.
Also read: Leave Venezuela, from Iraq-Iran to Guatemala, America is the reason for coups and devastation in so many countries.