US Faces Legal Hurdles in Prosecuting Venezuela’s Maduro on Drug Trafficking Charges
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was detained by the United States on Friday night, is scheduled to stand trial in the New York federal court. International media and experts anticipate a tough legal battle to substantiate the charges against him.
The case will be presided over by Judge Alvin Hellerstein of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. Appointed in 1998 by then-US President Bill Clinton, the 93-year-old Hellerstein is of Jewish descent.
Legal analysts argue that proving drug trafficking allegations against Maduro will be far from straightforward. Former senior US diplomat Brian Naranjo told the Wall Street Journal that establishing the existence of the so-called ‘Cartel of the Sun’ and linking Maduro to its operations could prove exceptionally difficult.
The US operation that resulted in Maduro’s capture has drawn international criticism, with multiple nations condemning it as a violation of the UN Charter and international law. As Washington threatens further action against Caracas, Maduro’s vice president has vowed to resist what he called ‘American imperialism.’
