Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to appear in New York courtroom today

Summary

CNBC's Contessa Brewer reports live from lower Manhattan on the arraignment of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife at a New York federal court. She details the narco-terrorism, cocaine importation, and weapons conspiracy charges, the co-defendants, and the prior indictments from the Southern District of New York. She compares the case to earlier extraditions of Juan Orlando Hernandez and Manuel Noriega and describes the heavy security around the courthouse. The segment is entirely news and legal coverage, with only a brief mixed pre-market futures snapshot at the open.

• Maduro and his wife are arraigned in New York federal court before Judge Alvin Hellerstein
• Charges include narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation, machine guns, and destructive devices
• Co-defendants include Maduro's wife, son, Venezuelan interior ministry officials, and alleged cartel leaders
• Prosecutors allege cooperation with FARC, ELN, the Sinaloa cartel, and the Zetas
• Investigation dates to 2011 with three prior indictments in the Southern District of New York
• Precedents cited include Juan Orlando Hernandez's 45-year sentence and Noriega's 1990 extradition
• Lower Manhattan courthouse area is under heavy police presence with streets blocked off
• Opening futures snapshot showed Dow slightly lower, Nasdaq and S&P 500 higher