US Court Sets June 2027 Trial For Ousted Venezuelan President Maduro, Wife

A United States court has scheduled the trial of Venezuela’s ousted president, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, for June 1, 2027, following their arrest by US forces in January.

Maduro, 63, and Flores have been held in a Brooklyn detention facility for more than seven months after pleading not guilty to federal charges of drug trafficking and firearms offences.

According to court proceedings on Wednesday, Judge Alvin Hellerstein fixed the trial date following a joint request by prosecutors and the defence.

US authorities say American commandos captured the couple during a nighttime operation at their residence in Caracas on January 3. The operation, involving naval, air and ground forces, led to Maduro’s removal from power after more than a decade as Venezuela’s leader.

Outside the Manhattan courthouse, supporters of Maduro staged a protest carrying Venezuelan flags and placards reading “Free President Maduro,” while counter-protesters described Maduro and Flores as “dictators.”

Maduro has declared himself a “prisoner of war” and denied all four charges against him, including conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.

Since his removal, Venezuela has been led by former Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, while the United States has assumed control of the country’s oil exports, with proceeds reportedly placed in special accounts overseen by Washington.

In April, US authorities approved the use of Venezuelan funds to pay for the legal defence of Maduro and Flores after sanctions had initially prevented such payments.

The couple had asked the court to dismiss the case, arguing that restrictions on funding their defence violated their constitutional right to legal counsel of their choice.

Maduro is also facing a separate civil lawsuit in the United States filed by the families of five young men allegedly killed by Venezuelan security forces.

The lawsuit claims Maduro ordered the extrajudicial killings through the now-disbanded Special Action Forces (FAES) between 2017 and 2020, alleging the victims were among thousands killed as part of a broader pattern of state violence.

During his presidency from 2013 to 2026, Maduro faced widespread accusations of political repression and electoral fraud. His re-election victories in 2018 and 2024 were rejected by several countries, including the United States, which questioned the legitimacy of the polls.