Nicolas Maduro seeks dismissal of US criminal case

Former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has filed a motion with a court in New York, demanding the dismissal of the criminal case brought against him.

According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, citing reports from Bloomberg, Maduro's legal defense team argues that their client, as a sovereign head of state, is immune from the jurisdiction of United States courts.

In a court filing submitted on Wednesday, the defense asserted that the charges brought against the individual recognized by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela as its leader lack legal standing. The defense maintains that prosecuting a sitting or former head of state in this manner violates established principles of international law regarding sovereign immunity.

The New York Federal Prosecutor's Office has accused Nicolas Maduro of collaborating with terrorist organizations and engaging in illicit enrichment during his more than twenty-five years in public office. These charges form the basis of the ongoing legal proceedings against him.

It should be recalled that on January 3 of this year, US law enforcement agencies conducted a special operation resulting in the detention of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were subsequently removed from the country. The trial is currently scheduled to commence on June 1, 2027.

The case highlights ongoing geopolitical tensions between Washington and Caracas, with the US judiciary asserting authority over international figures accused of corruption and narco-terrorism, while the defense relies on the doctrine of sovereign immunity to challenge the legitimacy of the proceedings.