US court sets June 2027 trial date for Venezuela’s ousted president, wife

Ousted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are scheduled to go on trial in the United States in June 2027, a court ruled Wednesday. The couple has been held in a Brooklyn jail for over seven months after pleading not guilty to federal drug trafficking and firearms charges.

American commandos captured Maduro, 63, and Flores in a nighttime raid on their Caracas compound in January. The operation, which involved naval, air, and ground forces, deposed the leader who had governed Venezuela since 2013. During a brief hearing, Judge Alvin Hellerstein set the trial date following a joint request from prosecutors and defense counsel. Maduro, wearing a beige prison uniform, did not speak during the proceedings.

Protesters voiced their opinions outside the Manhattan courthouse. Some held signs reading "Free President Maduro" and waved Venezuelan flags, while opposing demonstrators carried placards labeling the couple "dictators." Judge Hellerstein also scheduled a November 17 hearing to address defense motions, including a challenge to the legality of Maduro and Flores' capture.

US prosecutors allege that Maduro used state power to facilitate illegal drug smuggling and collaborated with cartels to ship cocaine to the United States. Maduro denies the charges, which include "narco-terrorism" conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons offenses. Flores has also pleaded not guilty to similar charges. In April, the US permitted Venezuela to fund the couple's legal defense, a move previously prohibited by sanctions. The couple had argued that blocking defense funding violated their constitutional right to counsel.