Maduro’s Lawyers Demand US Court Halt Prosecution, Assert Sovereign Immunity

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, the legal team representing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has submitted an official memorandum to a U.S. court, demanding the cessation of legal proceedings against their client and the dismissal of the indictment. The lawyers argue that the court lacks the judicial authority to prosecute Maduro, emphasizing his status as the head of an independent state and asserting his complete sovereign immunity.

This immunity, they contend, extends to all actions undertaken during his tenure as an official. The United States conducted a military operation in Venezuela, including the capital Caracas, on January 3, 2026, resulting in the apprehension of President Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. A U.S. judge had previously set June 1, 2027, as the trial date for the Venezuelan President and his wife, who were abducted during the operation.

Maduro’s defense counsel has pledged to work towards dismissing the drug trafficking allegations, based on the principle that Maduro, as the leader of an independent nation, possesses judicial immunity. Both Maduro and his wife appeared at a hearing at the Manhattan Federal Court, which lasted approximately 20 minutes. They are currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn and have vehemently denied all charges. The U.S. has leveled accusations against them, including drug trafficking, money laundering, corruption, and other offenses related to transnational organized crime.