US court sets June 2027 trial for Venezuela’s ousted Maduro

Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are scheduled to go on trial in the United States in June 2027, facing federal drug trafficking and firearms charges. The couple has been held in a Brooklyn jail for over seven months after pleading not guilty to the charges, following their capture by U.S. military forces in a nighttime raid in January.

During a brief hearing, U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein set the trial date for June 1, 2027, at the joint request of prosecutors and defense counsel. Maduro, appearing in a beige prison uniform, and Flores, seated nearby, remained largely silent during the proceedings. The judge also scheduled a November 17 hearing to address defense motions, notably a challenge questioning the legality of how the couple was apprehended.

Prosecutors allege that Maduro, who has led Venezuela since 2013, used state power to facilitate illegal drug smuggling and collaborated with cartels to traffic cocaine into the United States. He faces charges including "narco-terrorism" conspiracy and cocaine importation conspiracy. Flores faces similar charges related to cocaine importation and firearms. Both have denied all counts.

Protesters gathered outside the Manhattan courthouse, with some holding signs reading "Free President Maduro" and others displaying placards labeling the couple as "dictators." The U.S. government has allowed Venezuela to pay for Maduro and Flores's legal defense, a move previously restricted by sanctions. Maduro has previously described his capture as a "kidnapping" and himself as a "prisoner of war."

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Hello, Your Honor.