Maduro, Wife Seek Dismissal of 2026 Drug Charges as He Claims Head-of-State Immunity
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 3
Maduro, Wife Seek Dismissal of 2026 Drug Charges as He Claims Head-of-State Immunity
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 3
Summary
Court filings Wednesday asked a Manhattan federal judge to throw out narco-terrorism and drug-trafficking charges against Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores after their January extradition to New York.
Maduro's lawyers argued he was Venezuela's sitting head of state when charged, giving him sovereign immunity, and said his capture by U.S. Special Forces in Caracas was unlawful.
The motion also says the indictment violates due process because it alleges largely foreign conduct without adequately tying the case to the United States under the narcoterrorism statute.
A fourth superseding indictment unsealed in January accused Maduro of leading a cocaine-trafficking organization for more than two decades and charged both defendants with weapons-related counts; oral arguments are set for November.