Court Sets Trial Date for Maduro on Drug Charges

The trial of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, will begin in the United States on 1 June 2027. The date was set by Federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein in New York.

Maduro faces several charges, including conspiracy to traffic cocaine and so-called narco-terrorism, and faces life in prison if convicted.

Both defendants deny the charges. Their defense plans to request a dismissal of the case, arguing that Maduro, as head of state, enjoys immunity from criminal prosecution.

The next hearing on these motions is scheduled for November. Maduro was detained in early January during a military operation ordered by US President Donald Trump and subsequently transported to New York.

(Reuters, mja)