Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro claims immunity, urges US judge to dismiss drug charges: ‘this court lacks jurisdiction’

Nicolas Maduro, the ousted Venezuelan President, asserts sovereign immunity while facing drug trafficking charges in the US. His legal team argues that he should be immune from prosecution due to his status as a head of state and has pleaded not guilty, awaiting trial in June 2027.

Nicolas Maduro, the long-time President of Venezuela, who was ousted from power and captured by the US in January this year, has claimed that he still enjoys sovereign immunity as the head of a state. 63-year-old Maduro, who is currently in US captivity, is facing several charges, including drug trafficking. On Wednesday, he urged ​a federal judge to dismiss criminal charges against him, arguing he should be immune from prosecution.

What Nicolas Maduro's legal team said

“This court lacks jurisdiction with respect to Mr. Maduro, who is recognized by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela as its head of state,” Maduro’s legal team argued in a court filing, according to Bloomberg.

Maduro’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, made the assertion of immunity in a motion to dismiss Maduro’s indictment. According to Reuters, Manhattan-based US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein had ​given Pollack a deadline of Wednesday to file the motion.

"This unprecedented prosecution violates the absolute immunity from criminal jurisdiction to which heads of state and foreign officials acting in their official capacities have been entitled for hundreds of years," Pollack wrote, according to Reuters.

Pollack wrote that Maduro was falsely accused and "vehemently denies" the allegations.

According to Bloomberg, in January, Maduro’s lawyer told the judge he anticipated submitting “voluminous and complicated” court filings to dismiss charges or to limit the evidence the government can use to prove the case. From the start, Pollack has said that Maduro is immune from prosecution.

Maduro argues that he, like other national leaders, is not subject to prosecution in other countries.

US does not recognise Maduro's presidency

Maduro, who has been held in a Brooklyn federal jail since his seizure, has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go on trial in June 2027, if his effort to dismiss the ​case is unsuccessful.

Maduro, who succeeded Hugo Chavez as the president of Venezuela in 2013, remained in the position until he was captured by the US in a daring midnight operation in Caracas. It should be noted that while Maduro claims to still be the president of Venezuela, several countries, including the US, have not recognised his presidency following the 2018 election.

Though official data showed Maduro won the election, in which prominent opposition leaders such as Leopoldo Lopez and Henrique Capriles were legally barred from contesting, with a popular vote of 67.8 per cent, most international observers have held that the results were rigged.

Charges against Maduro

In the US, Maduro faces several charges, including:

Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy: Allegations of partnering with groups like the FARC, ELN, and the Sinaloa Cartel to use Venezuelan state power to flood the US with cocaine.

Cocaine Importation Conspiracy: Charges tied to orchestrating the shipment of hundreds of metric tons of cocaine per year.

Firearms and Machine Gun Offenses: Possession and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices in connection with narco-trafficking activities.

About the Author

Bobins loves telling the human side of all stories, from the intersection of geopolitics, international relations, and conflicts around the world. In his nearly one-and-a-half-decade career as a journalist, Bobins has covered South Asia, the Middle East, and North America, from elections to mass protests and conflicts. <br> Bobins has also done extensive reporting on environmental issues, climate change, and sustainability, focusing on solutions and people working to make the planet a better place to live. <br> In 2018, Bobins was awarded by Times Internet for the impact of his story on Delhi tree cuttings. Bobins also loves telling the stories of Indian startups and the journey of their founders. <br> Total Years of Experience: 14 <br> Years of experience at LM: Bobins has been a part of Live Mint since February 2026 <br> Interests: When he is not tracking conflicts, Bobins loves to cook, travel across India, click photos, and watch documentaries on history. Past Experience: Before joining Live Mint, Bobins worked with The Indian Express, where he led the Global Breaking News coverage, Indiatimes, where he led the news team, covering everything trending, ANI, where the focus of his coverage was South Asia, and NBS News. <br> Current Role: Bobins is currently working as an Assistant Editor at Live Mint.

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