Judge Sets 2027 Trial Date for Nicolas Maduro and Wife on US Drug Charges
Quick Look
- A US judge set a June 1, 2027, trial date for ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores on drug-trafficking charges in Manhattan federal court.
- Their defense lawyer plans to seek dismissal based on immunity as a head of state.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores face US drug-trafficking charges, having been indicted for using their positions to facilitate cocaine shipments.
A judge on Wednesday set a June 1, 2027, trial date for ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores on US drug-trafficking charges, while a defence lawyer vowed to seek dismissal of the case on the grounds that Maduro is immune from prosecution as the head of a sovereign state.
Maduro and his wife, wearing beige prison garb, appeared during a hearing lasting about 20 minutes in Manhattan federal court before District Judge Alvin Hellerstein in one of the most consequential criminal cases in recent US history.
US commandos captured Maduro, 63, and Flores, 69, at their heavily guarded home in Caracas during a January 3 nighttime military raid ordered by President Donald Trump.
They were brought to New York, where they had previously been indicted on charges of using their leadership positions in the oil-rich South American country to facilitate cocaine shipments. They have pleaded not guilty.
In addition to scheduling the date for the trial to begin, Hellerstein set a September 2 deadline for Maduro’s first round of legal motions seeking to have the case dismissed, as well as a November 17 hearing for arguments over those motions.
Defence lawyer Barry Pollack told the judge he would seek to dismiss the case on immunity grounds.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Maduro's defense lawyer will file motions to dismiss the case based on immunity grounds.
Very likely · Within months
A hearing will be held on November 17 for arguments regarding the dismissal motions.
Very likely · Within months
Open Questions
- Will the immunity defense be successful?
- What evidence will be presented at trial?
