NEW YORK – Federal prosecutors and attorneys for former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have jointly proposed that their U.S. criminal trial begin in June 2027, setting the stage for one of the most closely watched international criminal cases in recent history. The proposed schedule must still be approved by U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who is overseeing the case in Manhattan.
Maduro and Flores face multiple federal charges, including narcoterrorism conspiracy, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, and weapons-related offenses. U.S. prosecutors allege the couple used Venezuela's state institutions and security forces to facilitate large-scale cocaine trafficking operations destined for the United States. If convicted, Maduro could face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The couple was captured by U.S. Special Forces during a January 3, 2026, operation in Caracas and transported to New York, where both pleaded not guilty. They have remained in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn while awaiting trial.
Before a jury ever hears the evidence, however, Maduro's legal team plans to mount an aggressive challenge to the prosecution.
According to court filings, the defense intends to file a motion by September 2 seeking dismissal of the indictment on the grounds that Maduro was entitled to sovereign or head-of-state immunity. His attorneys are also expected to argue that his capture and transfer from Venezuela to the United States violated international law and should invalidate the prosecution. Oral arguments on those motions are tentatively scheduled for November.
Federal prosecutors are expected to oppose those arguments, maintaining that the United States has not recognized Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate president since 2019 and that the alleged drug trafficking and narcoterrorism offenses cannot be considered official acts protected by diplomatic or sovereign immunity.
Following the immunity challenge, the case is expected to enter an extensive pretrial phase involving the exchange of evidence, including classified materials, before proceeding to trial. The proposed schedule also allows for additional legal motions after both sides review sensitive evidence.
Although the June 2027 trial date remains tentative and could still be modified by Judge Hellerstein, the case is already shaping up to be one of the most consequential international criminal prosecutions ever heard in a U.S. federal court. The proceedings will first determine whether the court has jurisdiction to try Maduro before turning to the evidence supporting the charges against him.