New York/The third hearing of the case against the deposed Venezuelan president, Nicolas Maduroand his wife, Cilia Flores, concluded this Wednesday in a federal court in New York after just 18 minutes, and in which the judge preliminarily established June 2027 as the start date of the trial and with immunity as one of the main arguments of the defense.
Maduro, 63, appeared before federal judge Alvin Hellerstein, 91, along with Flores, 69, in a hearing to monitor the process on charges of narcoterrorism and drug trafficking.
The Venezuelan president, who appeared thinner but looking good, maintained his characteristic mustache and arrived walking normally, without a trace of the limp that he had shown in previous hearings.
During the 18 minutes that the hearing lasted, he repeatedly touched his headphones and continued the session with his lawyers.
Cilia Flores also showed a healthier appearance. He came behind, with a ponytail, glasses and the same prison jumpsuit
At his 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 president greeted before entering the room and followed the hearing with his lawyers. At the end of the session, he spoke 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 pre-trial motions and placed the start of the process in June 2027, a schedule that the judge accepted.
The defense plans to present a first set of motions before the delivery of evidence is completed, including an argument for immunity for Maduro as head of state of Venezuela at the time of his arrest.
The defense plans to present a first set of motions before the delivery of evidence concludes
According to Barry Pollack, one of Maduro’s lawyers, if accepted, the president would not have to undergo the second round of motions, which will include other evidence.
The Prosecutor’s Office, for its part, plans to complete most of the delivery of unclassified evidence on September 22 and classified evidence on November 15.
Maduro and Flores remain detained in a federal prison in Brooklyn since they were captured on January 3 in Caracas by US forces and transferred to New York.
Maduro and Flores remain detained in a federal prison in Brooklyn since they were captured on January 3 in Caracas.
At their 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.
Maduro is accused of conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism and cocaine importation, while Flores faces charges related to drug importation and weapons possession.
Both could face up to life in prison if convicted.
