Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are scheduled to appear in a U.S. court on Wednesday for a hearing concerning the schedule of their drug trafficking case, which could include a trial start date in June 2027. The hearing, before U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein in Manhattan federal court, is expected to outline the next steps in the ongoing legal proceedings.
Maduro and Flores were indicted on charges of using their positions in Venezuela to facilitate cocaine shipments. They have pleaded not guilty, and no trial date had been set prior to this court appearance. Prosecutors from the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office and Maduro's defense lawyers jointly proposed the June 2027 trial start in a court filing Tuesday night. Judge Hellerstein will ultimately decide the schedule.
In their filing, both parties indicated that initial legal motions to dismiss the case would be due on September 2. These motions are likely to include arguments for head of state immunity, asserting that Maduro should be exempt from prosecution due to his former position. During his first court appearance on January 5, Maduro's defense lawyer had suggested the indictment could be challenged on the legality of his capture. Maduro, who led Venezuela from 2013 until his apprehension, referred to himself as a "prisoner of war" and has accused the U.S. of seeking his removal to control Venezuela's oil reserves. The U.S. government has described Maduro as a dictator whose policies led to economic collapse and has accused him of election rigging. The U.S. ceased recognizing Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate president in 2019.
A filing also proposed a second round of legal motions by January 11, 2027, contingent on prosecutors providing classified evidence for the defense's review. This follows a Justice Department advisory opinion stating that President Trump could lawfully order the operation to capture Maduro as it served a national interest and did not constitute a war requiring congressional authorization.
Maduro's previous court appearance on March 26 addressed the U.S. government's prohibition on Venezuela paying his legal fees. This dispute was resolved a month later when the U.S. modified financial sanctions to permit such payments. Since Maduro's capture, Venezuela has been led by former Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, who has fostered improved relations with the Trump administration. Washington has eased sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry, leading to increased oil and gas projects by foreign companies, and the U.S. military provided earthquake relief assistance to Venezuela last month.