File photo: The first appearance of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to face US federal charges (Image source: Reuters)
Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Celia Flores, will stand trial in the United States on June 1, 2027 on drug trafficking charges after a federal judge approved the timeline on Wednesday.Maduro, 63, and Flores, 69, have pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring to smuggle cocaine into the United States.If convicted, they could face life imprisonment. The couple has been detained in a Brooklyn prison since US forces arrested them during a military raid in Caracas in early January and transferred them to New York.
The defense to challenge the indictment and the legality of his arrest
US District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein set a trial date for June 1, 2027, after a request from the prosecution and defense.
Under the timeline, Maduro’s legal team will begin filing motions in September seeking to dismiss the indictment.During Wednesday’s hearing, defense attorney Barry Pollack said he would first challenge the case on the basis of sovereign immunity, saying that Maduro, as head of a sovereign state, should enjoy immunity from prosecution.If successful, Pollack said, Maduro would not have to continue litigating the case.
Pollack also indicated that the defense intends to challenge the legality of Maduro’s arrest, calling it a “military kidnapping.” Likewise, Maduro called himself a “prisoner of war” and described the US operation as a kidnapping.Neither Maduro nor Flores spoke during the 15-minute session. They also did not request their release on bail, according to the Associated Press news agency.
The United States is accused of a cocaine smuggling conspiracy
US prosecutors allege that Maduro used his position as leader of Venezuela to facilitate the shipment of thousands of tons of cocaine to the United States by working with Venezuelan law enforcement and drug traffickers.Maduro faces four criminal charges, including terrorism and drug conspiracy and conspiracy to import cocaine.During his appearance in court in January, Maduro denied the accusations, saying: “I am not guilty. I am a respectable man, and the constitutional president of my country.”The Trump administration defended the January 3 military raid as legal.An advisory opinion issued by the US Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel before the operation concluded that President Donald Trump could unilaterally order the mission because it served an important national interest and did not rise to the level of war that would require congressional approval.
The case is unfolding amid changing relations between the United States and Venezuela
Maduro led Venezuela from 2013 until his arrest in January. After his dismissal, former Vice President Delcy Rodriguez took over leadership and has since forged closer ties with the Trump administration.The report added that Washington eased sanctions on the Venezuelan oil industry, allowing foreign companies to expand oil and gas projects in the country.Ahead of the trial, Judge Hellerstein set a hearing on November 17 to consider defense motions seeking to dismiss the case, while additional legal challenges may be filed in early 2027 after prosecutors disclose any confidential evidence.