Federal Court Confirms New Hearing for Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores on July 22

The U.S. Federal Court for the Southern District of New York has confirmed a new follow-up hearing for Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores on Wednesday, July 22. The session is scheduled for 12:00 PM local time and will review the status of their ongoing judicial process.

This hearing was postponed from June 30 at the request of the Federal Prosecutor's Office, with the defense's consent, due to "issues related to providing safe transport and security." Court officials clarified that this session is neither the beginning of the trial nor will it involve a sentencing. Its purpose is to assess the process's progress, review evidence exchange between parties, and define the schedule for motions preceding the oral trial phase.

Sources close to the case anticipate that the trial could still take several more months to commence, citing the complexity of the case and the substantial volume of evidence presented by the prosecution. The legal proceedings have garnered significant international attention due to the political and diplomatic implications for U.S.-Venezuela relations.

Maduro and Flores have been held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Brooklyn since their arrest in Caracas on January 3, 2026. They face multiple charges, including alleged narcoterrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, and other weapons-related offenses. Throughout previous hearings, both have maintained their plea of not guilty to all charges brought against them by the U.S. justice system.