Nicolás Maduro appears in New York federal court for pretrial hearing

Former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores attended a procedural hearing at the U.S. District Court in Manhattan on Wednesday. Both remain detained in a Brooklyn federal jail and have pleaded not guilty to charges that include conspiracy to import cocaine, narcoterrorism and illegal weapons possession. The hearing, overseen by Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, focused on organizing the evidence and reviewing pending motions; it did not set a trial date. Prosecutors have suggested the trial could begin in June 2027, while the defense argues the night‑time capture was illegal and that Maduro enjoys head‑of‑state immunity. U.S. officials also raised the possibility that the 1922 U.S.–Venezuela extradition treaty might require the dispute to be resolved through arbitration. No bail was requested and the court has yet to schedule a trial.

Maduro told the court, “I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the constitutional president of my country.”