During a new audience held this Wednesday, July 22 in a New York court, a judge defined that the opening of the The trial in the United States against the deposed head of the Venezuelan regime Nicolás Maduro for drug trafficking will be on June 1, 2027.
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The third previous hearing against Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores concluded after just 18 minutes. According to the journalists present in the room, the former Chavista leader appeared thin but with good appearance and came dressed in a khaki short-sleeved jumpsuit.
Ripewho followed the diligence together with his lawyersmaintains his characteristic mustache and walked normally, without showing mobility difficulties or lameness as in prior hearingsaccording to what was observed by journalists from the agency Efe.
Protesters outside the courthouse in New York. Photo:AFP
At your side, Cilia Flores also showed a healthier appearance. He arrived behind, with a ponytail, glasses and the same khaki prison jumpsuit as Maduro. The former Chavista leader greeted before entering the room and continued the proceedings with his lawyers. At the end of the sessionspoke with his defense before leaving the court.
Before the hearing, the Prosecutor’s Office and the defense jointly presented a brief in which they proposed to the magistrate a calendar with two rounds of pretrial motions and placed the start of the process in June 2027, schedule that the judge accepted this July 22.
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The defense plans to present a first set of motions before the delivery of evidence is completed, including a immunity argument for Maduro as head of state of Venezuela at the time of his arrest.
According to Barry Pollack, one of Maduro’s lawyers, if accepted, he would not have to undergo the second round of motions, in which other evidence will be included.
The Prosecutor’s Office, for its part, plans to complete most of the delivery of unclassified tests on September 22 and those classified on November 15.
Nicolás Maduro. Photo:AFP
The process against the couple is advancing after the government of US President Donald Trump gave its approval for Venezuela pays its lawyers’ fees, something that had initially been prevented by virtue of the sanctions that weigh on the country.
These are the charges that Nicolás Maduro faces in the United States
Captured by the United States in Caracas and imprisoned since January 3 in a Brooklyn prisonhe 63-year-old former head of state is processed by four counts of drug trafficking and arms trafficking. his wife Cilia Flores, 69 years oldfaces three charges. Both deny the facts of which they are accused.
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Specifically, Maduro faces charges of “narcoterrorism” conspiracy, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devicesand conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
In addition to the criminal process against him former president (2013-2026)the families of five murdered young people in Venezuela At the beginning of July they undertook a civil action against him, accusing him of having ordered their executions within the framework of a scheme of state violence.
Caravan in which Nicolás Maduro is believed to be traveling. Photo:AFP
In his first appearance, on January 5, Both pleaded “not guilty” to all charges. Then, Maduro assured in Spanish that he was a “decent man” and the “constitutional president” of Venezuela.
In his second appearance, in March, Maduro appeared with grayer hair, in addition to showing a slight limp.
From the Maduro’s departurehis former vice president Delcy Rodríguez assumed as interim president and rules under the Washington pressurewho claims to be in command of the oil country.
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*With AFP and Efe
