Ousted Venezuelan President Maduro limp-walks to courthouse; what happened during his court appearance?

Nicolas Maduro, who was seen limping, was handcuffed as he stepped out of a high security vehicle and was moved to another one

Videos of captured Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro walking to a court in New York for his first appearance have gone viral on social media.

In the video, Maduro is seen with his wife, Cilia Flores. The couple were escorted from a helicopter into a vehicle before being taken to a federal court in New York.

Maduro, who was seen limping, was handcuffed as he stepped out of a high security vehicle and was moved to another one.

Dressed in a khaki jacket and bright orange shoes, Maduro was surrounded by gunmen from the law enforcement department.

He was transported to the courthouse in an armoured vehicle following a flight in a helicopter.

A vehicle carried Maduro outside the jail at about 7:15 am on January 5 and drove towards an athletic field nearby. The helicopter carried him to the New York heliport before he was shifted to a highly armoured vehicle.

Maduro says 'not guilty' in first appearance

In his first appearance in court, the deposed President said he is "not guilty" to all four charge against him. The charges include drug-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine-importation conspiracy, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices.

Maduro said, "I'm innocent. I'm not guilty. I am a decent man." He added, "I am still President of my country."

When asked to identify himself, Maduro spoke in Spanish, calling himself the President of the Republic of Venezuela. He further said that he was "kidnapped".

According to federal court records, attorney Barry Joel Pollack, who is best known for representing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, is representing Maduro. He said Flores' ribs were severely bruised but the US did not say if it happened after the capture.

Meanwhile, the next hearing has been scheduled for March 17.

Maduro and his wife were captured by US commandos on January 3 during a multi-agency military operation in Venezuelan capital.