NEW YORK – Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is scheduled to appear before a New York court on Monday to face charges accusing him of orchestrating massive cocaine shipments into the United States.
The hearing follows a weekend military operation sanctioned by former US President Donald Trump, which resulted in the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and their transfer to US custody.
According to reports, the couple will be moved from a Brooklyn detention centre to Manhattan to answer the charges.
Legal experts anticipate a brief initial session, although the case could ignite a prolonged legal battle over whether a foreign leader can be prosecuted in the United States.
Maduro’s lawyers are expected to challenge the legality of his detention, invoking sovereign immunity — a defence that failed in the 1990 prosecution of Panama’s Manuel Noriega.
The Trump administration does not recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate president following his disputed 2024 re-election, a factor that may weaken any immunity claim.
Maduro’s 25-page indictment, released Saturday, alleges that he and his associates collaborated with drug cartels to transport thousands of tons of cocaine into the United States, a crime punishable by life imprisonment.
Maduro has consistently denied involvement, while his allies argue the US is motivated by control over Venezuela’s oil and mineral resources.
The arrest, condemned by international bodies including the United Nations, has escalated tensions between Washington and Caracas.
Interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez has demanded Maduro’s return, though she has also signaled willingness to engage with the United States.
Over the weekend, US officials announced temporary enforcement of oil sanctions in Venezuela and warned regional leaders against participating in drug trafficking.
Legal analysts say Monday’s proceedings could set a critical precedent for how the US prosecutes foreign leaders accused of serious crimes, challenging the boundaries of international law and US jurisdiction.
