Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores hearing postponed to July 22 in New York

A federal judge in the Southern District of New York has rescheduled the next court appearance of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, former first‑lady Cilia Flores, from late June to July 22, 2026. The delay was granted at the request of prosecutors and the defense to avoid logistical and security problems related to transporting the detainees to the courtroom.

Maduro and Flores have been held in a high‑security Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since their capture in Caracas on 3 January 2026 during a U.S. military operation. They face federal charges of narcoterrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine and illegal weapons use. Federal prosecutor Jay Clayton and judge Alvin K. Hellerstein approved the postponement, which does not pause the speedy‑trial clock. The court also allowed the Venezuelan government to fund the pair’s legal defense while restricting the sharing of evidence with other co‑accused.

The case remains a focal point of U.S.–Venezuela tensions, with Venezuela’s foreign ministry condemning the operation as a violation of international law.