▲ Former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was extradited to the United States
The criminal trial for former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was extradited to the United States, is set to officially begin in June next year, according to reports by the New York Times (NYT) and other outlets on the 22nd (local time).
According to the reports, Judge Alvin Hellerstein of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York decided during a pre-trial conference held that day that the criminal trial for the former president and his wife, who have been indicted on charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, will commence on June 1 next year.
Appearing in court wearing a beige prison jumpsuit, Maduro listened to trial-related proceedings while wearing headphones providing Spanish interpretation.
Maduro and his wife were arrested in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas on January 3 during a sudden U.S. military operation and extradited to New York, where they are currently being held at a federal detention center in Brooklyn, New York City.
Prior to this, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York had indicted Maduro on four charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy.
Judge Hellerstein scheduling the main trial for about 10 months from now is seen as reflecting both the highly unusual nature of the case and the numerous legal issues that must be resolved before the trial begins.
Maduro has denied all criminal charges, claiming that he was illegally abducted by the United States.
In addition, Maduro's defense attorneys argue that he is entitled to immunity as a head of state and that the court should dismiss the case.
Judge Hellerstein plans to hold a hearing in November to address these arguments raised by Maduro's legal team.
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