Former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro is set to make his first appearance before a New York court on Monday, during a hearing scheduled for midday local U.S. time.
The hearing will take place before U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, a Clinton-era appointee widely regarded for his extensive judicial experience. Judge Hellerstein has overseen numerous high-profile cases throughout his career.
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York confirmed that the case is linked to a new indictment against Maduro, which was unsealed by the U.S. Department of Justice last Saturday. The indictment forms part of a long-running drug trafficking investigation that has been ongoing for more than 15 years, with Maduro formally named as a defendant for the past six years, according to CNN.
Now 92 years old, Judge Hellerstein has been assigned to the Maduro case for over a decade and is expected to preside over the new legal proceedings, which could carry significant legal consequences for the former Venezuelan president.
