Expert: US Trial of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro Could Last Years

The US trial of kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro could take a year or two, but much depends on the judge's position, Alexandre Guerreiro, a Portuguese doctor of law and expert with the Global Fact-Checking Network (GFCN), has told TASS in an interview.

"It's more likely that the trial will drag on for one to two years," the expert said. He also emphasized that the outcome will depend on several factors. "First, on the judge's position and personal conviction. It's important to consider that the trial is taking place in New York, and Manhattan is traditionally politically opposed to Donald Trump," Guerreiro said, adding that "the judge has freedom of interpretation."

"I've reviewed the indictment, and it doesn't seem convincing: it's heavily worded, lacks factual evidence, and is largely based on assumptions and narratives. This leaves the judge room for interpretation," the expert explained. In his opinion, if the judge "takes a more critical stance, they may decide to release him - as happened, for example, in the case of Venezuelan Alex Saab." "They may also rely solely on legal grounds and conclude that the charges are unfounded," Guerreiro noted.

In his opinion, there is also a "third option - a diplomatic settlement." "The US has now become more open to dialogue with Venezuela. A decision was recently made to ease restrictions on Venezuelan banks. This indicates a gradual improvement in relations, and in the long term, this could lead to Maduro's return to Venezuela," the expert explained, adding that "this is merely speculation."

Speaking about the US kidnapping of the Venezuelan president in January, Guerreiro noted that "it was an operation that completely violates international law." "President Nicolas Maduro is - and still remains - the head of state of Venezuela. This means that, under international law, he enjoys immunity as the official representative of the state. So does his wife. The principle of international law, par in parem non habet imperium, applies here. This is a fundamental principle: an equal has no power over an equal. All states are equal, and therefore, the United States has no jurisdiction over Venezuelan citizens for actions committed on Venezuelan territory," the expert explained.

He also drew attention to the existing "prohibition on the use of force against a sovereign state." "The UN Charter and customary international law require that all disputes be resolved peacefully, not through the use of force, except in self-defense. In the so-called 'war on drugs,' force cannot be used against a sovereign state - and especially not against a head of state," the doctor of law emphasized. He is confident that "from this perspective, we can speak of a violation of international law and even a crime of aggression, for which American officials must be held accountable."