Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro made his first court appearance on Jan. 5, pleading not guilty to charges that could send him to prison for the rest of his life.
U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, 92, has been tapped to oversee the proceedings. He is no stranger to such cases; in 2022 he refused to dismiss charges against former Venezuelan army Gen. Cliver Alcalá, who was accused of helping Maduro traffic cocaine to the United States.
“Sovereign immunity does not protect a rogue state or rogue officials,” Hellerstein said at the time. “We’re not dealing with ordinary criminal conduct. We’re dealing with criminal conduct at the highest levels of government.”
Those sentiments may be relevant as the recently toppled Venezuelan leader’s case proceeds through the legal system. It’s unclear how Hellerstein will handle Maduro’s charges and potential motions to dismiss before an anticipated trial. His comments on Jan. 5 were more limited.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, both appeared before Hellerstein after being indicted along with others on narco-terrorism conspiracy and other charges. In addition to allegations that he oversaw “a relentless campaign of cocaine trafficking,” Maduro has been indicted on weapons charges related to possessing “machine guns and other destructive devices.”
Shortly after Maduro’s not-guilty plea, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim leader of Venezuela, and it remains to be seen how the government will ultimately change after the U.S. intervention.
A seasoned judge, Hellerstein was appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1998 and has served as a jurist in the Southern District of New York since then.
Attorney and legal commentator John Shu told The Epoch Times that in legal circles, Hellerstein enjoys a great deal of respect—along with a longstanding reputation for enjoying tennis. Although the 92-year-old judge may not spend much time on the courts these days, Shu said he appears to be in excellent mental shape.
“He could retire if he wants … but I think he feels like sitting on the bench keeps him active, keeps his brain active.
Hellerstein handled numerous wrongful death and property lawsuits related to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center.
He’s also had to tangle with President Donald Trump a few times. Hellerstein twice blocked attempts by Trump’s lawyers to move his New York falsified business records case from state to federal court. In 2020, he ordered Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen be released from prison after Trump’s Department of Justice revoked his house arrest.
“[Tren de Aragua] may well be engaged in narcotics trafficking, but that is a criminal matter, not an invasion or predatory incursion,” the judge said.
