A US federal judge has set June 1, 2027, as the trial date for Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, on sweeping narcotics trafficking and narcoterrorism charges. The date was announced during a hearing in federal court in Manhattan, New York where both defendants have pleaded not guilty.
The trial is expected to become one of the highest-profile criminal cases ever brought in the United States against a former foreign head of state after Maduro’s brazen capture by United States commandos in Caracas in January this year.
His defense team is expected to mount an aggressive legal challenge before the trial begins, arguing that he is entitled to head-of-state immunity and that his capture and transfer to the United States violated international law.
Judge Alvin Hellerstein set a hearing for November 17th for arguments over such motions. Defence Attorney Barry Pollack indicated he could also challenge the indictment on the basis that Maduro’s capture may not have been legal
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