Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, will stand trial in a US federal court on June 1, 2027. A judge confirmed the date during a court hearing on Wednesday after prosecutors and defense lawyers agreed on a proposed schedule. However, both sides said the timeline could change if legal issues delay the case.

US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein questioned whether lawyers could resolve issues involving classified information before the trial. Despite those concerns, defense attorney Barry Pollack said he believes the current schedule is achievable. He added that both sides will notify the court if problems arise that could delay the proceedings.

Maduro and Flores appeared in court wearing tan prison uniforms. Maduro greeted his lawyers before the hearing and waved to people in the courtroom as he left. The couple has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to import guns and cocaine into the United States. Prosecutors claim the alleged conspiracy lasted for more than 25 years.

The defense plans to fight the case on several fronts before the trial begins. Pollack has said he will argue that US authorities arrested Maduro unlawfully. He also plans to argue that Maduro has presidential immunity because the alleged crimes took place while he served as Venezuela’s president.

Earlier this year, Maduro asked the court to dismiss the charges. He claimed US sanctions stopped the Venezuelan government from paying his legal fees. The judge rejected that request. Later, the US Treasury Department allowed Venezuela to pay for the couple’s legal defense without violating sanctions.

US forces captured Maduro and Flores in January during an operation at the presidential compound in Caracas. Authorities later transferred them to New York, where they remain in federal custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

Maduro first became Venezuela’s president in 2013. However, the United States and several other countries refused to recognize him as the country’s legitimate leader after the 2018 election.

Following Maduro’s capture, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez became Venezuela’s acting president. Since then, she has introduced changes to the armed forces and responded to several US demands. In April, Washington also lifted sanctions that it had imposed on Rodríguez in 2018.

The case remains one of the most closely watched international criminal proceedings involving a former head of state. It is expected to face several legal challenges before the trial begins.