June 1 Trial Date Set for Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro in His US Drug Trafficking Case

Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are set to face a drug trafficking trial in New York on June 1, following a judge's order on Wednesday. The couple was apprehended by U.S. forces in January and has been held in a Brooklyn jail since their capture from their Caracas home. Both have pleaded not guilty to charges that they conspired to traffic thousands of tons of cocaine into the United States, collaborating with Venezuelan law enforcement.

During a brief 15-minute hearing, neither Maduro nor Flores spoke. Maduro, appearing thinner and wearing a tan jail suit, seemed upbeat, greeting court staff and lawyers, and occasionally jotting notes. He listened to a Spanish interpretation of the proceedings. His lawyers intend to contest the legality of his capture, which the Trump administration has termed a "surgical law enforcement operation." Maduro, however, has described his apprehension as a "kidnapping" and himself as a prisoner of war.

Maduro's lawyer, Barry Pollack, indicated that the initial legal strategy will focus on challenging the indictment based on sovereign immunity. If successful, this could prevent the case from proceeding to a full trial. Complex legal defenses are expected to be addressed before a trial can commence. The couple has not sought bail.

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I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the constitutional president of my country.