The trial of Venezuela’s deposed president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, is scheduled to begin on June 1, 2027, following an order issued Wednesday by a federal judge in New York, the BBC reports.
Maduro and Flores were captured by U.S. forces during a dramatic overnight raid on January 3 at their residence in Caracas and transferred to New York to face federal charges related to drug trafficking and weapons offenses, allegations they both deny.
Judge Alvin Hellerstein also scheduled a pretrial hearing for November 17, when both sides will present legal motions.
Maduro’s attorney, Barry Pollack, indicated that the defense will argue that his client is protected by sovereign immunity, the legal principle that generally shields heads of state from criminal prosecution.
The courtroom was packed with spectators, with many waiting for hours to see Maduro appear in person.
Before proceedings began, a court officer warned attendees to remain seated and not address the defendants, cautioning that anyone violating courtroom rules “could face legal consequences.”
Most spectators complied as Maduro and Flores entered the courtroom shortly after noon. Some, however, quietly murmured or gasped as he walked by.
Wearing a beige prison uniform but not handcuffed, Maduro nodded toward the gallery before taking his seat beside his attorneys. He and Flores remained silent throughout the hearing, listening through translation headsets while their lawyers addressed the judge.
As the hearing concluded, Maduro stood, turned toward the gallery, gave a brief wave, and was escorted out of the courtroom by U.S. Marshals.
Outside the courthouse, anti-war protesters condemned the U.S. military operation that led to Maduro’s capture, carrying signs reading “Free President Maduro” and denouncing what they described as a “show trial.”
“The United States is trying to bring Venezuela, Latin America, and the Middle East under its control,” one speaker from the Anti-War Action Network declared.
At the same time, several Venezuelans wrapped in their national flag expressed support for the prosecution.
“Maduro is a criminal,” said Wilmer Contreras, 53, who moved to the United States about three decades ago. “He is part of the government that completely destroyed my country.”
Contreras added that he fully supported the Trump administration’s military operation to capture Maduro.
“What they did is something we had been hoping for and waiting for a long time. When it finally happened, things changed in my country,” he told the BBC.
