US judge schedules 2027 trial for Maduro and wife amid sovereignty dispute
Legal team plans to challenge jurisdiction via sovereign immunity as Trump administration defends 'surgical' Caracas operation
A United States federal judge has formally scheduled a trial for June 1, 2027, for former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The proceedings follow the couple’s abduction from Venezuela during a US military operation in January 2026, an event the Trump administration has characterised as a “surgical law enforcement operation” while international legal scholars have widely condemned the raid as illegal.
Judge Alvin Hellerstein set the date on Wednesday at the request of attorneys from both sides. During the 15-minute court hearing, neither Maduro nor Flores spoke. Both defendants pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges and have consistently denied the legitimacy of the US judicial proceedings against them.
Maduro faces four counts, including conspiracy to engage in narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine, charges that carry a potential life sentence if convicted. The criminal case was initially brought forward six years prior to the January 2026 raid, but the military intervention has accelerated the legal timeline significantly.
Maduro’s defence lawyer, Barry Pollack, indicated that the legal strategy will focus on challenging the legality of the military raid used to secure custody. Pollack stated that the team intends to argue for sovereign immunity first, a defence that, if accepted by the court, would result in the dismissal of the case without further litigation.
The Trump administration has justified the operation by alleging that Maduro conspired to traffic cocaine while serving as head of state. Venezuelan authorities report that the military attack on Caracas resulted in 83 deaths. Neither defendant has requested release on bail, and the trial date stands as the next major procedural milestone.
In the wake of the abduction, the Venezuelan presidency has been assumed by interim President Delcy Rodriguez. Reports indicate that Rodriguez is aligning the country’s foreign policy more closely with US interests, a shift that contrasts with the adversarial legal stance taken by Maduro’s defence team in New York.
International observers note that the Trump administration has historically utilised concerns regarding drug trafficking to assert political influence across Latin America. The outcome of the sovereign immunity challenge remains a critical variable, with uncertainty surrounding whether Judge Hellerstein will accept the defence given the nature of the charges and the circumstances of the defendants' capture.
