Maduro and US prosecutors jointly propose June 2027 trial date for drug-trafficking case

Joint proposal filed ahead of hearing

The filing in Manhattan federal court outlines a June 2027 trial start for Nicolas Maduro on drug-trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracy charges. The joint proposal was submitted ahead of a hearing scheduled for today at 12 p.m. EDT before US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein. Under the proposed schedule, Maduro's first round of legal motions to dismiss the case would be due on September 2. A second round would follow by January 11, 2027, after prosecutors hand over any classified evidence for the defence's review. The parties noted in the filing that they may seek changes to the schedule, and Judge Hellerstein must ultimately set the timeline.

Capture and charges

US Special Forces captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, during a nighttime raid in Caracas in January 2026. Both were flown to New York and have been held in a federal jail in Brooklyn since their arrival. They have pleaded not guilty to the charges: Maduro faces drug-trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracy counts, while Flores is charged with drug-trafficking and weapons offences. At his initial court appearance on January 5, Maduro addressed the court.

I am a prisoner of war.

The case has been described in the joint filing as one of the most high-profile and consequential criminal proceedings in recent US history. Maduro has long accused the US of seeking his ouster to gain control of Venezuela's vast oil reserves. The US, which stopped recognising Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate president in 2019, calls him a corrupt dictator whose mismanagement led to economic collapse and accuses him of rigging the 2018 and 2024 elections.

What happens next

Today's hearing before Judge Hellerstein is expected to address the proposed schedule, but the judge is not bound by the joint recommendation and could set different deadlines. The filing itself serves as a blueprint for the early phases of the prosecution. Even with the proposed dates, the trial is not expected to begin before 2027, a timeline that reflects the complexity of the case and the need to handle classified materials. Both sides have indicated they may request alterations to the schedule as the case proceeds.