New York (United States), Sept. 3 (LaPresse) – Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have asked a federal judge in New York to dismiss the drug trafficking charges against them, arguing that they are entitled to immunity as the head of state and first lady of a foreign country. In documents filed with the Manhattan federal court, Maduro’s lawyers argue that the law prevents a foreign leader recognized by his own country as head of state at the time the charges were brought from being criminally prosecuted before a US court. “No American court has ever presided over the criminal trial of a foreign leader recognized by his own country as the sitting head of state at the time the charges were brought,” the lawyers wrote, arguing that heads of state are exempt from criminal proceedings before the courts of other countries. Maduro, 63, and Flores, 69, are being held in a Brooklyn jail after being captured by US forces at their home in Caracas during a nighttime operation in early January and transferred to New York. Both have pleaded not guilty and face life imprisonment if convicted. The trial is scheduled for June 1 next year, while Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein has scheduled a hearing on the dismissal requests for Nov. 17. Federal prosecutors are expected to respond to the defense arguments by the end of the month. Maduro “strongly” denies the accusations and maintains that he was falsely charged. The Trump administration has described his capture as a “targeted law enforcement operation,” while the former Venezuelan president called it a kidnapping and described himself as a prisoner of war.
Venezuela: Maduro and wife ask for US charges to be dismissed, invoking immunity
New York (United States), Sept. 3 (LaPresse) – Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have asked a federal judge in New York to dismiss the drug trafficking charges against them, arguing that they are entitled to immunity as the head of state and first lady of a foreign country. In documents filed with the Manhattan federal court, Maduro’s lawyers argue that the law prevents a foreign leader recognized by his own country as head of state at the time the charges were brought from being criminally prosecuted before a US court. “No American court has ever presided over the criminal trial of a foreign leader recognized by his own country as the sitting head of state at the time the charges were brought,” the lawyers wrote, arguing that heads of state are exempt from criminal proceedings before the courts of other countries. Maduro, 63, and Flores, 69, are being held in a Brooklyn jail after being captured by US forces at their home in Caracas during a nighttime operation in early January and transferred to New York. Both have pleaded not guilty and face life imprisonment if convicted. The trial is scheduled for June 1 next year, while Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein has scheduled a hearing on the dismissal requests for Nov. 17. Federal prosecutors are expected to respond to the defense arguments by the end of the month. Maduro “strongly” denies the accusations and maintains that he was falsely charged. The Trump administration has described his capture as a “targeted law enforcement operation,” while the former Venezuelan president called it a kidnapping and described himself as a prisoner of war.