US Prosecutor's Office Proposes Trial Against President Maduro Begin in June 2027

The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York proposed this Tuesday that the trial against the President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores—who are accused of drug trafficking and cocaine importation—begin in June 2027.

"Accordingly, the parties jointly propose the following schedule for discovery, pretrial motions, and the trial process (...). Trial start date: June 2027," states the document addressed to Judge Alvin Hellerstein by US Attorney Jay Clayton.

The Prosecution's proposal was announced ahead of a hearing scheduled for this Wednesday to discuss the timeline of the proceedings against the Venezuelan leader, who has spent over six months in a federal prison in Brooklyn after being kidnapped last January.

This marks the third hearing to be held in New York following the abduction of the couple from their Caracas residence on January 3, with the defense expected to present its initial arguments in September and the government anticipating the delivery of most classified evidence in November.

Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty before the New York court in January.

Last April, the United States allowed the Venezuelan Executive to cover the legal fees for the defense attorneys representing the accused.

On January 3, 2026, the United States Armed Forces entered Venezuelan territory, executing an armed attack that left at least 100 people dead and resulted in the abduction of Venezuelan Head of State Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were subsequently transferred to New York.