It is becoming entirely likely that Donald Trump will no longer be president by the time that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro gets his day in court after the White House ordered a military invasion to abduct him and his wife on narco-terrorism charges.
The Department of Justice faces years of legal proceedings before the case reaches trial before 92-year-old U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein. His advanced age presents potential complications for Attorney General Pam Bondi's prosecution efforts.
Central to Maduro's defense is whether the U.S. government possessed legal authority to apprehend the Venezuelan leader, whose position as a sitting head of state provided him complex diplomatic protections requiring examination.
According to Politico reporter Erica Orden, legal experts anticipate additional obstacles related to the narco-terrorism conspiracy charge. "Legal experts said hurdles may also arise in relation to the narco-terrorism conspiracy charge, due to shifting terrorism designations over the years and because of the amount of time that is likely to pass between when Maduro was first charged, in 2020, and when the case goes to trial."
Maduro's attorney Barry Pollack signaled aggressive defense strategies in court last week, telling the judge: "Mr. Maduro is the head of a sovereign state and is entitled to the privileges and immunities that go with that office. In addition, there are issues about the legality of his military abduction."
Jeffrey Brown, former chief of the terrorism and international narcotics unit at the Manhattan U.S. attorney's office, acknowledged the trial will face significant delays due to extensive discovery requests and classified materials handling issues.
Trial progress could face further complications if Bondi no longer serves as attorney general or if proceedings extend beyond Trump's current term, particularly if he faces an impeachment trial following potential Democratic House gains, according to reports.
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