Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores will appear before the New York justice system on March 26

The next court appearance of Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores before a federal court in New York was postponed from March 17 to 26, according to court documents filed this Tuesday. The prosecution of the Southern District of New York attributed the date change to “agenda and logistical problems”, without offering additional details in the request, which was accepted by both the defense and Judge Alvin Hellerstein.

Maduro’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, did not respond to the requests for comments from the AFP agency. Pollack, known for having represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, leads the defense of the former Venezuelan president in this drug trafficking case that could result in life imprisonment.

Maduro, 63 years old, appeared for the first time before the US justice system on January 5, two days after his capture during a US military operation in Caracas. In that initial hearing, he pleaded not guilty to the charges of drug trafficking and categorically stated that he is a “prisoner of war” and that he continues to be “the constitutional president of Venezuela”. His wife Flores, 69 years old, also pleaded not guilty.

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Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores during their initial appearance before the federal court in Manhattan on January 5, 2026, in this courtroom sketch REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg

The formal indictment includes four charges: conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess weapons of war. The 25-page document filed by the Department of Justice alleges that both “associated with drug traffickers and narco-terrorist groups” to send “thousands of tons of cocaine” towards US territory through transshipment points in the Caribbean and Central America. According to the accusation, Maduro and Flores were part of the so-called Cartel of the Suns, a drug trafficking structure linked to high-ranking Venezuelan military officials. The prosecution maintains that this criminal network operated for more than 25 years under the protection of state institutions.

Federal prosecutor Jay Clayton explained that the postponement is necessary to allow the prosecution to “produce the discovery of evidence” and for the defense to have “a proper opportunity to review them” before filing pre-trial motions. This exchange of evidence will be crucial in determining the course of the process.

During the January 5 hearing, both Maduro and Flores showed physical evidence of their capture. Flores presented a bruise on his right eye and bandages on his forehead, while his lawyers requested medical attention for possible rib fractures. FILE PHOTO: Federal District Judge Alvin Hellerstein presides over the Manhattan Federal Court in New York City, USA, on June 27, 2023, in a courtroom sketch REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg/File Photo Maduro governed Venezuela from March 2013 to January 2026. After his capture, power was assumed by Delcy Rodríguez, who had served as vice president since 2018. The Venezuelan Supreme Court of Justice ordered Rodríguez to assume “in charge” all presidential attributions, without declaring Maduro’s absolute absence.

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The legal case against Maduro faces numerous legal challenges. His defense team has anticipated that they will challenge the legality of his detention, arguing that he enjoys sovereign immunity as a former head of state. This defense strategy has precedents: the former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega used the same argument without success after being captured in a similar U.S. military invasion in 1990. Noriega was convicted and served 17 years in prison in the United States. The March 26 hearing will be crucial in defining the course of the process. While the defense maintains that Maduro’s detention was illegal, the prosecution is preparing a case that, if successful, could lead to a life sentence for both defendants. At 63 years old, Maduro could spend the rest of his life in prison if he is found guilty. Meanwhile, Venezuela is undergoing an uncertain political realignment.