NEW YORK, July 22 (Reuters) — 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 Flores, wearing beige prison garb, appeared during a hearing lasting about 20 minutes in Manhattan federal court before US 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 night-time military raid on January 3 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 trial, 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.
Maduro faces four felony charges, including conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine. He could face a life sentence if convicted.
In a court filing on Tuesday night, prosecutors from the Manhattan US Attorney’s Office and Maduro’s defence team had both proposed a June 2027 start date for the trial.
“The parties all agree that this is a realistic schedule. We don’t think it’s going to slip, but obviously if anything comes up we will inform your honour,” Pollack told the judge.
It remains unclear how long the trial is expected to last.
‘Prisoner of war’
Maduro, a socialist who maintained an antagonistic relationship with the United States while leading Venezuela from 2013 until his capture, described himself as a ‘prisoner of war’ during his first court appearance on January 5.
Maduro waved to someone — it was unclear whom — in the courtroom gallery as US marshals escorted him out of the courtroom after Wednesday’s hearing.
Hellerstein also set a January 11, 2027, deadline for Maduro’s lawyers to file a second round of motions. Those motions will follow prosecutors’ disclosure of evidence, some of which is expected to be classified, for the defence to review.
During Maduro’s January 5 court appearance, Pollack suggested the defence could also challenge the indictment on the basis that Maduro’s capture may have been unlawful.
Maduro has long accused the United States of seeking his removal to gain greater control over the OPEC nation’s vast oil reserves. The United States, meanwhile, has described Maduro as a corrupt dictator whose mismanagement led to economic collapse and has accused him of rigging the 2018 and 2024 elections. Washington stopped recognising him as Venezuela’s legitimate president in 2019.
In an advisory opinion issued before the January raid, the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel said Trump could lawfully order the operation unilaterally because it served an important national interest and did not amount to an act of war requiring congressional authorisation.
Since Maduro’s capture, Venezuela has been led by former vice-president Delcy Rodriguez, who has established closer ties with the Trump administration. The United States has eased sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry, allowing foreign companies to expand oil and gas projects in the country.
Maduro last appeared in court on March 26 for a hearing on the US government’s prohibition on Venezuela paying his legal fees. The dispute was resolved a month later after Washington agreed to modify its sanctions to allow the Venezuelan government to cover those costs.
