Maduro was captured by US forces in Venezuela on 3 January 2026 and flown to New York. He and his wife were arraigned on 5 January 2026 on narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy and weapons counts under a superseding indictment in the long-running Cartel de los Soles case. The defense has moved to dismiss on head-of-state and sovereign immunity grounds and to challenge the legality of his seizure.
LATEST DEVELOPMENT · SEP 10, 2026
On 2 September 2026, Maduro and Flores filed motions to dismiss based on sovereign immunity and to dismiss Count One (Dkt. 320 to 325). On 9 September 2026, Flores moved for release on conditions citing a heart condition.
BACKGROUND
Nicolás Maduro Moros was first indicted in the Southern District of New York in March 2020 on narco-terrorism, cocaine importation and related weapons charges, alongside more than a dozen current and former Venezuelan officials, as part of the long-running Cartel de los Soles investigation. The United States offered a large reward for information leading to his arrest but had no realistic way to bring him into custody while he remained in power in Caracas.
That changed on January 3, 2026, when US forces carried out a raid on Maduro’s residence in Caracas as part of a broader military operation, capturing Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores and flying them to New York. Two days later they were arraigned before Senior US District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein on a superseding indictment and pleaded not guilty, with Maduro telling the court he considered himself a prisoner of war who had been kidnapped.
The case is now proceeding on a Fourth Superseding Indictment charging Maduro with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy and weapons offenses, and Flores with the latter three counts. Both are represented by privately retained counsel, Barry Pollack of Harris St. Laurent & Wechsler for Maduro and Mark Donnelly of Parker Sánchez & Donnelly for Flores, and both remain detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn pending trial.
In September 2026, the defense filed motions to dismiss the entire indictment on head-of-state and conduct-based sovereign immunity grounds, a separate motion to dismiss the narco-terrorism count for lack of jurisdictional nexus, and a bail motion for Flores citing a worsening heart condition. Judge Hellerstein has scheduled oral argument on the dismissal motions for November 17, 2026, with trial currently set for June 1, 2027.
TIMELINE
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JUN 1, 2027PROCEDURALTrial scheduled to beginTrial for Maduro and Flores on the narco-terrorism and cocaine importation charges is currently scheduled to begin June 1, 2027.
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NOV 17, 2026HEARINGOral argument scheduled on motions to dismissJudge Hellerstein has set oral argument for November 17, 2026 on the defense motions to dismiss the indictment on sovereign immunity and jurisdictional grounds.
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SEP 9, 2026FILINGFlores moves for release citing heart conditionCilia Flores asked Judge Hellerstein to release her from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn to home confinement in New York, citing a worsening cardiac condition and significant weight loss in custody.
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SEP 2, 2026FILINGDefense files motions to dismiss on sovereign immunity groundsMaduro filed motions to dismiss the entire Fourth Superseding Indictment on head-of-state and conduct-based sovereign immunity grounds and to dismiss the narco-terrorism count for lack of statutory jurisdiction, while Flores filed a parallel immunity motion as the spouse of a sitting head of state.
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JAN 10, 2026PROCEDURALHouston attorney Mark Donnelly retained for Cilia FloresMark Donnelly of Parker Sánchez & Donnelly filed a motion to appear pro hac vice as counsel for Cilia Flores.
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JAN 6, 2026PROCEDURALBarry Pollack files appearance as Maduro’s lead counselTrial lawyer Barry J. Pollack of Harris St. Laurent & Wechsler, previously known for representing Julian Assange, entered his appearance as Maduro’s lead defense attorney.
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JAN 5, 2026HEARINGMaduro and Flores arraigned, plead not guiltyMaduro and Flores appeared before Judge Alvin Hellerstein in Manhattan federal court and pleaded not guilty to narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy and weapons counts, with Maduro describing himself as a kidnapped prisoner of war.
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JAN 3, 2026OTHERUS forces capture Maduro and Flores in Caracas raidUS armed forces carried out a large-scale strike and raid on Maduro’s residence in Caracas, capturing him and his wife Cilia Flores and flying them to the United States.
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MAR 26, 2020FILINGOriginal narco-terrorism indictment unsealedDOJ unsealed charges against Maduro and more than a dozen current and former Venezuelan officials for narco-terrorism, corruption and drug trafficking, while Maduro remained in Venezuela.