Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, National Assembly Deputy Cilia Flores, at a public event. Photo: EFE/file photo.
The federal court in New York rescheduled for March 26, 2026 the second hearing of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, National Assembly Deputy Cilia Flores, following an agreement between the prosecution and the defense.
The legitimate president of Venezuela and the first lady are being held illegally imprisoned in the United States, following the US military aggression against Venezuela on January 3, which killed 120 people and wounded a similar number of persons, in addition to causing significant material damage.
The rescheduling of the hearing, originally scheduled for March 17, was authorized by Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein due to “scheduling and logistical issues,” according to official information.
On the designated date, President Maduro and his wife have to appear appear before the Federal Court for the Southern District of Manhattan, where the judge is expected to establish the calendar of proceedings and resolve pretrial motions.
The initial appearance before that court was held on January 5, 2026, just two days after US forces kidnapped the Venezuelan president from his residence in Caracas.
On that occasion, the Venezuelan president pleaded “not guilty” to the charges brought against him, rejected the accusations, and proclaimed himself a “prisoner of war” and the legitimate head of state of Venezuela, while his defense also dismissed the charges presented by the US prosecution, which is pursuing a politically motivated trial without legal basis.
The United States has filed charges that include alleged crimes related to drug trafficking and arms trafficking, accusations that Venezuelan authorities call unfounded and part of a campaign to justify military intervention against Venezuela.
Caracas has questioned the legitimacy of these accusations, highlighting that an original indictment against Maduro for leading the non-existent Cartel of the Suns was withdrawn by the US Department of Justice for lack of evidence.
It has also been reported that President Maduro and Flores received a consular visit with a diplomatic representative of Venezuela. Through a statement, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York informed Judge Hellerstein that on January 30, 2026, the two had a consular visit with an official representing the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
The document, dated February 17, 2026, complies with the judicial order issued during the arraignment and reading of charges on January 5, when Hellerstein instructed the US government to facilitate the defendants’ access to consular services and to inform the court once completed.
The statement is signed by US Attorney Jay Clayton and his deputies, and confirms that the Venezuelan state has been able to exercise its right of consular protection over the constitutional president and the first lady.
From Noriega to Maduro: The Long US History of Kidnapping Foreign Leaders
The case occurs in a context of prolonged US hostility against Venezuela, in which the White House has frequently resorted to claiming threats to its “national security” to impose political pressure or intervene militarily.
This stance has historically served as a pretext to violate the sovereignty of nations, interfere in their internal affairs, or loot their natural resources through sanctions, military operations, or economic pressure.
The kidnapping of a sitting president and his forced transfer to a foreign court constitutes a flagrant violation of international law, undermining the principles of sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of states.
(Telesur)
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/CB/SC
Cameron Baillie is an award-winning journalist, editor, and researcher. He won and was shortlisted for awards across Britain and Ireland. He is Editor-in-Chief of New Sociological Perspectives graduate journal and Commissioning Editor at The Student Intifada newsletter. He spent the first half of 2025 living, working, and writing in Ecuador. He does news translation and proofreading work with The Orinoco Tribune.
