A US federal judge known for his adherence to Orthodox Judaism is set to preside over the first court appearance of captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, who is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Manhattan on US drug trafficking and narco-terrorism charges, according to ABC News.
Maduro is expected to appear before Alvin Hellerstein, a veteran jurist of the Southern District of New York with decades of experience on the federal bench. Hellerstein has overseen numerous high-profile cases involving terrorism, organized crime, and national security.
The arraignment is expected to take place at noon local time at Manhattan federal court, where prosecutors are set to formally present a four-count indictment accusing Maduro of leading a decades-long narco-terrorism conspiracy aimed at flooding the US with cocaine.
US prosecutors allege that Maduro coordinated with armed groups and senior government figures to facilitate large-scale cocaine trafficking, using state institutions to support drug operations.
The charges were unsealed after Maduro was transferred to New York following a US military operation over the weekend, according to the report. He remains in federal custody at a detention facility in Brooklyn.
Monday's hearing is expected to focus on procedural matters, including the formal reading of charges, while broader legal and jurisdictional issues are likely to be addressed in subsequent court sessions.
