Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, will stand trial in the United States on June 1, 2027, over federal drug-trafficking and firearms charges arising from allegations that they used state power to facilitate the movement of cocaine into the country.
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/ELLAN.png")
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-Summer-IDRI-Masterclass.jpg")
United States District Judge Alvin Hellerstein fixed the date during a brief hearing in Manhattan on Wednesday, following a joint request by federal prosecutors and lawyers representing the couple. Pretrial proceedings, including arguments seeking the dismissal of the charges, are expected to take place before the trial begins.
Maduro, 63, and Flores have been detained in a federal facility in Brooklyn since January 2026, when United States forces captured them during a nighttime military operation at their compound in Caracas and transported them to New York.
The January 3 operation involved American naval, air and ground forces and brought an end to Maduro’s presidency, which began in 2013. The legality of the operation has remained controversial, with Maduro’s lawyers expected to challenge both the circumstances of his capture and the United States’ jurisdiction to prosecute him.
Both defendants have pleaded not guilty. Maduro faces four counts bordering on an alleged narco-terrorism conspiracy, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess those weapons.
Federal prosecutors allege that Maduro abused his position to facilitate cocaine trafficking and protect criminal organisations. The charges remain allegations, and he and Flores are presumed innocent until proved guilty.
Maduro has described himself as a “prisoner of war” and maintained that his removal from Venezuela amounted to an unlawful abduction. His defence team is also expected to argue that he is entitled to immunity because of his former status as a head of state.
Supporters and opponents gathered outside the Manhattan courthouse during Wednesday’s proceedings. Some demonstrators carried Venezuelan flags and placards demanding Maduro’s release, while others displayed signs describing him and Flores as dictators.
The United States government had previously prevented Venezuela from paying the couple’s legal expenses under sanctions restrictions. Washington subsequently permitted the funding of their defence after the couple argued that the restriction interfered with their constitutional right to counsel of their choice.
Since Maduro’s removal, Venezuela has been led by his former vice-president and close political ally, Delcy Rodríguez, who was formally sworn in as interim president in January.
Rodríguez’s government has developed closer relations with the Trump administration, while the United States has assumed a significant role in Venezuela’s oil sector and the handling of export proceeds during the political transition.
Apart from the criminal prosecution, Maduro is facing a separate civil action filed in a United States federal court by relatives of five young Venezuelan men allegedly killed by the country’s Special Action Forces, known as FAES.
The families allege that the men were extrajudicially executed between 2017 and 2020 as part of a wider campaign of violence carried out under Maduro’s authority. They claim he exercised command and control over the security forces responsible for the killings.
The allegations have not been determined by the court, and Maduro is expected to raise legal defences, including possible head-of-state immunity.
FAES was dissolved in 2021 following widespread allegations of human-rights abuses, including complaints that its officers carried out extrajudicial killings.
Maduro’s government was repeatedly accused of political repression during his years in power, while the results of the 2018 and 2024 presidential elections were rejected as fraudulent by the United States and several other countries.
The June 2027 criminal trial is expected to examine the prosecution’s allegations concerning Maduro’s purported relationship with drug-trafficking organisations, as well as the defence’s challenges to his capture, the jurisdiction of the United States courts and his claimed immunity from prosecution.
LAWBREED — Equipping You For Greater Success!
_______________________________________________________________________
“Order Justice Omolaye-Ajileye’s Electronic Evidence Books Now” — Essential Guides On Evidence Act, Case Law And Digital Proof
As an added bonus, every purchase comes with a FREE ebook titled: “How to use the AI in Legalpedia and Law Pavilion.”
Ohio Books Ltd praises the publication, stating:
"....this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic."
How to Order:
📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878
📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com
🌎 Website: www.benadigwe.com
Ebook Version: Access it directly online at https://selar.com/prv626
Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe Esq., ACiarb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director at the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria.
______________________________________________________________________
[A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via:
0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888
Website: www.alexandernigeria.com
