US judge sets 2027 trial date for Venezuela’s Maduro and wife
A US judge has scheduled the trial for former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, for June 2027. The couple faces drug trafficking charges following their abduction during a US military operation in early 2026.
Why it matters
The case represents a significant escalation in US-Venezuela relations and raises complex international legal questions regarding sovereign immunity and the legality of state-sponsored abductions.
Venezuela’s former President Nicolas Maduro pleads not guilty to drug charges; lawyer plans to challenge legality of US military operation.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro gives a news conference at the Miraflores presidential palace, March 12, 2020, in Caracas, Venezuela [File: Matias Delacroix/AP] By Al Jazeera Staff and The Associated Press Published On 22 Jul 2026 22 Jul 2026 A United States judge has set a trial date for former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, both abducted from the South American country during a US military attack in January 2026.
Judge Alvin Hellerstein set a trial date on Wednesday for June 1, 2027. Both Maduro and Flores have pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges while denying the basic legitimacy of the trial .
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