Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to face trial next June
The trial of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores is scheduled to begin June 1, 2027, a New York judge said Wednesday.
In a dramatic night raid on January 3, US forces seized Maduro and Flores from their compound in the Venezuelan capital Caracas and brought them to New York to face allegations of weapons and drug crimes, which they deny.
Judge Alvin Hellerstein scheduled a pretrial hearing for Nov. 17 to hear requests from both sides.
Maduro’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, has signaled at the hearing that his client will argue that he is protected by sovereign immunity, a legal principle that protects heads of state from prosecution.
The courtroom was filled with spectators; some people were lining up for hours for the chance to see Maduro in person.
Before the hearing began, a court official warned the public to remain seated and said they “couldn’t tell him anything.”
The officer warned that anyone who doesn’t follow etiquette “could have some legal problems of their own.”
As Maduro and Flores were led into the room shortly after noon, the gallery mostly followed his instructions, though some were murmuring or panting as he passed.
Maduro, wearing a beige prison uniform but not being handcuffed, nodded to the gallery as he walked to his seat at the defense table.
He and Flores sat quietly, wearing headphones for translation, while their attorneys conferred with the judge.
When it was time to leave, Maduro stood up. He appeared before the public and waved his hands in a single motion before disappearing into the depths of the courthouse under the watchful eye of U.S. Marshalls.
Outside the courtroom, anti-war protesters condemned the US military operation that resulted in Maduro’s capture, held signs reading “Free President Maduro” and, in the words of a protester with a bullhorn, decried the “mock trial” taking place inside.
“The United States is trying to bring Venezuela, Latin America and the Middle East under its control,” said a speaker from the Anti-War Action Network.
Some Venezuelans draped in the country’s flag also supported the prosecution.
“Maduro is a criminal,” said Wilmer Contreras, 53, who moved to the United States nearly 30 years ago. “He’s part of the government, they completely destroyed my country.”
Contreras said he “absolutely” supports the Trump administration’s military takeover of Maduro.
“What they did was something we expected and have been waiting for for a long time. And when it happened, things changed in my country,” he told the BBC.
