Maduro Appears in US Court as Trial Date Proposed

Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is back in a New York court for a procedural hearing. This is his third public appearance since his capture by US forces in January.

Prosecutors and defense lawyers have jointly proposed a trial date for June 2027. Judge Alvin Hellerstein could confirm this schedule at today's hearing.

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been held in a Brooklyn jail since the military operation. They face charges of drug trafficking and firearms offenses, with both pleading not guilty.

The case centers on allegations Maduro conspired to traffic thousands of tons of cocaine into the U.S. with the help of Venezuelan officials. The Trump administration has called the raid a "surgical law enforcement operation."

Maduro's attorney, Barry Pollack, is expected to challenge the legality of his client's capture, which Maduro has labeled a kidnapping. Complex legal defenses must be resolved before any trial begins.