Maduro and Justice Department Propose June 2027 Trial Date

Nicolas Maduro, the ousted president of Venezuela, and the United States Department of Justice have jointly proposed a June 2027 start date for a criminal trial on drug trafficking and drug-related terrorism charges. The proposal was submitted in a court filing ahead of a hearing at the Manhattan federal court in New York.

U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein holds final authority over the schedule. The proposed timeline sets a September 2 deadline for initial legal motions, including a potential claim of sovereign immunity to dismiss the case. A second round of motions is scheduled for January 11, following a defense review of classified evidence.

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have both pleaded not guilty. They were captured in Caracas during a U.S. Special Forces night raid in January and have since been detained at a federal jail in Brooklyn.