Nicolás Maduro Requests US Court to Dismiss Charges Based on Head of State Immunity

Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has asked a federal court in New York to annul the criminal proceedings against him. His defense team argues that Maduro is entitled to absolute immunity from criminal jurisdiction because of his status as a head of state. The motion was filed in a Manhattan court where Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, face charges of narcotics trafficking and conspiracy for narcoterrorism.

Maduro and Flores were captured in Caracas on January 3 following a US military incursion. Maduro has pleaded not guilty to the charges and remains in pretrial detention in a Brooklyn federal prison. His attorney, Barry Pollack, stated that the prosecution violates long standing international law regarding the immunity of foreign officials acting in their official capacities. He further argued that the judge lacks jurisdiction because the alleged acts were part of Maduro's official functions.

Legal experts suggest the request faces a difficult path because the United States government has not recognized Maduro as the legitimate president since 2019, citing fraudulent elections. US courts typically defer to the executive branch on the recognition of foreign leaders. If the motion to dismiss is denied, the trial is scheduled to begin on June 1, 2027. Maduro has previously claimed that the US is attempting to overthrow him to seize Venezuela's oil wealth.