Nicolás Maduro appeared this Wednesday for the third time before the federal court of the Southern District of New York, exactly 200 days after his capture, and eyewitnesses agreed in describing a transformed man: thinner, grayer, and noticeably more docile than in his previous appearances.
The hearing -which lasted between 13 and 20 minutes- ended with a historic decision: Federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein set June 1, 2027 as the start date for the trial against Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores on charges of drug trafficking, narco-terrorism, and possession of firearms.
A physically unrecognizable man
Maduro entered the room wearing a khaki prison uniform, sneakers, and without handcuffs, using glasses and headphones for simultaneous translation.
Journalists and courtroom illustrators estimated that the former Venezuelan dictator has lost between 12 and 15 kilograms since his arrest.
The Venezuelan cartoonist Jorge Torrealba, who has attended all the hearings to create judicial sketches -the only visual record permitted inside the courtroom- was straightforward:
"Unlike the last time, I saw him quite thin, I saw him gray-haired. And although it lasted only 15 minutes, I saw him face to face."
The journalist Roberto Macedonio, present in the room, provided the most detailed description: “Physically deteriorated, thinner, with clearer facial features, a more wrinkled neck, much thinner arms, dressed as a prisoner.”
Cilia Flores, 69 years old, also appeared slimmer, with her hair tied back in a ponytail, wearing glasses, and the same khaki uniform.
According to Macedonio, both entered with chains on their feet and "did not exchange a single glance" throughout the entire session.
A behavior radically different from that of January
Beyond the physical appearance, it was the change in attitude that stood out the most.
The contrast with his first appearance on January 5 was striking.
In that hearing, Maduro presented himself as "a prisoner of war" and stated in Spanish: "I am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the constitutional president of my country."
In the second one, held on March 26, she displayed nervous tics and was stretching in her seat.
In this third appearance, the tone was completely different. Macedonio summarized it: "In the first hearing, he came in saying I am the legitimate president of Venezuela and I am here kidnapped. In this one, he hasn’t said a single word to the judge."
Upon entering, he greeted the judge with a «Good morning» that resonated throughout the room. During the session, he took notes, drank water continuously, and smiled frequently at his lawyers.
At the end, he tried to talk to Barry Pollack, and the marshals wanted to stop him; the judge himself intervened saying "Let them talk" multiple times.
Al salir, Maduro raised his hand to greet the attendees in the gallery, mostly composed of Venezuelan lawyers and former political prisoners. He received no response.
The charges and the defense strategy
Maduro, 63 years old, faces four federal charges that carry penalties of up to life in prison: conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess those same weapons.
Pollack -who also represented the founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange- has until September 2 to file a motion for head of state immunity.
This strategy faces an obstacle: the United States has not recognized Maduro as president since 2019.
The procedural calendar establishes an oral hearing on immunity and jurisdiction on November 17, 2026.
In April, Washington allowed Venezuela to finance the legal defense of Maduro and Flores, something that was previously prohibited by sanctions.
Maduro and Flores remain confined in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn under a strict isolation regime, with cell outings limited to three times a week for one hour.
If the trial goes ahead as planned, Maduro will arrive in court with 514 days of imprisonment and 64 years of age.
The date of the trial is now confirmed, although the defense keeps the possibility of requesting extensions open.
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