Former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are slated for a New York trial on June 1, 2027, facing narco-terrorism, drug-trafficking, and weapons charges tied to alleged collaboration with drug cartels. A Manhattan federal judge, Alvin K. Hellerstein, set a schedule with pretrial motions due by early September and oral arguments on November 17. The defendants have pleaded not guilty. They were transported to the United States after a January raid on their Caracas residence, an operation they and supporters condemn as illegal, while prosecutors argue the details reveal a long-running conspiracy to move cocaine into the U.S. over decades. Defense lawyers are pursuing sovereign-immunity and other legal defenses, signaling that diplomatic immunity and the legality of the operations could shape the case. Protests outside the courthouse and ongoing political tensions surrounding Maduro’s ouster continue to color the proceedings, with potential delays over classified evidence and other discovery issues.