Key facts
- Nicolas Maduro and U.S. Justice Department prosecutors proposed a June 2027 trial start date.
- The trial is for drug trafficking charges against Maduro.
- The proposal was made in a court filing ahead of a hearing in Manhattan federal court.
- U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein will set the final trial schedule.
- Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty after being captured by U.S. Special Forces in January.
Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and U.S. Justice Department prosecutors have jointly proposed a June 2027 start date for Maduro's criminal trial in the U.S. on drug trafficking charges. The proposal was filed in a court document ahead of a hearing scheduled for Wednesday in Manhattan federal court. U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who is overseeing the case, will ultimately set the schedule, though the parties indicated they may seek changes. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured by U.S. Special Forces in Caracas in January and brought to New York to face the charges. Both have pleaded not guilty.