Nicolás Maduro's Trial Set for June 2027 in New York

Nicolás Maduro, the authoritarian leader of Venezuela, and his wife, Cilia Flores, accused in the United States of drug trafficking, are scheduled to face trial in June 2027. U.S. federal judge Alvin Hellerstein in New York set the date during a brief 13-minute hearing.

The trial schedule was jointly proposed by prosecutors from the U.S. Department of Justice and Maduro's defense team. Maduro and Flores, who appeared in court in khaki prison uniforms without handcuffs, have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Maduro's lawyers contend that he is immune from U.S. jurisdiction as a head of state. However, the U.S. administration has not recognized him as Venezuela's legitimate president since 2019. The U.S. government considers Maduro a "corrupt dictator" who has ruined Venezuela's economy and falsified presidential elections.

Maduro and Flores were apprehended by U.S. commandos in Caracas in January and transported to New York. They face charges related to drug trafficking and weapons possession. Maduro, who has led Venezuela's socialist government since 2013, previously accused Washington of seeking to overthrow him to control the country's oil reserves.