A United States federal judge has scheduled the trial of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, for June 1, 2027, as both continue to fight drug trafficking charges in one of the most high-profile criminal cases in recent U.S. history.
During a brief hearing on Wednesday in a Manhattan federal court, U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein approved the trial date after both prosecutors and defence lawyers agreed it was a realistic timeline.
Maduro, 63, and Flores, 69, appeared in court wearing beige prison uniforms. Both have pleaded not guilty to charges accusing them of using their positions in Venezuela’s government to facilitate large-scale cocaine trafficking.
Maduro’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, told the court the defence would seek to have the case thrown out, arguing that Maduro is protected from prosecution because he was the head of a sovereign state at the time of the alleged offences.
The judge ordered the defence to file its first motion to dismiss the indictment by September 2, with oral arguments scheduled for November 17. A second round of legal motions is expected in January 2027 after prosecutors hand over evidence, some of which is expected to be classified.
Maduro faces four felony charges, including narcoterrorism conspiracy and conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States. If convicted, he could face life imprisonment.
The former Venezuelan leader and his wife were captured during a U.S. military operation in Caracas on January 3, following an order by President Donald Trump. U.S. authorities brought the couple to New York, where they were arraigned on charges first filed years earlier.
During his initial court appearance in January, Maduro described himself as a “prisoner of war.” At Wednesday’s hearing, he briefly waved toward the courtroom gallery before being escorted out by U.S. marshals.
His legal team is also expected to challenge the legality of his capture during the cross-border military operation.
Maduro, who led Venezuela from 2013 until his arrest, has long accused Washington of trying to remove him from power to gain access to the country’s vast oil reserves.
The United States has consistently rejected that claim, accusing him of corruption, election fraud and presiding over Venezuela’s economic collapse. Washington stopped recognising him as Venezuela’s legitimate president in 2019.
Ahead of the January raid, the U.S. Justice Department concluded that President Trump had the authority to order the operation without congressional approval, arguing it served an important national security interest and did not amount to an act of war.
Since Maduro’s capture, Venezuela has been led by former Vice President Delcy Rodríguez. Under her administration, relations with Washington have improved, prompting the United States to ease sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector and paving the way for foreign energy companies to expand operations in the country.
Maduro last appeared in court in March over a dispute involving payment of his legal fees. That issue was resolved in April after the U.S. government adjusted sanctions to allow the Venezuelan government to cover his defence costs.
