Venezuela’s Acting President Details Post‑Maduro Oil‑Sector Overhaul to Miami Investors
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez used a Miami investor summit to pitch Venezuela’s newly opened oil sector and outline a post‑Maduro overhaul aimed at attracting foreign capital. At the same time, Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are due back in federal court in the Southern District of New York for a status conference in a narco‑terrorism and drug‑trafficking case — they have pleaded not guilty, been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, and their defense has asked to dismiss the case citing OFAC licensing issues for counsel payments.
📌 Key Facts
- Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are scheduled for their second appearance in federal court in the Southern District of New York on Thursday as part of an ongoing U.S. prosecution.
- Thursday’s hearing is a status conference where the court will address discovery, set a pre-trial motions schedule, and may discuss a trial date.
- Maduro and Flores face narco-terrorism conspiracy and drug trafficking charges tied to an alleged large-scale cocaine distribution network; both pleaded not guilty in January.
- They have been held for nearly three months at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
- Defense lawyers have moved to dismiss the case before Senior U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, arguing Maduro’s right to a fair defense is violated because lawyers say they cannot be paid by the Venezuelan government without OFAC sanctions licenses.
📊 Relevant Data
Approximately 1.2 million Venezuelans lived in the United States as of 2024, representing a 119% increase from 2019, driven by Venezuela's economic and political crisis.
7 facts about Venezuelans in the US — Pew Research Center
US sanctions on Venezuela, imposed starting in 2017, contributed to reduced public caloric intake, increased disease and mortality rates, and the displacement of millions of people, exacerbating the economic crisis.
Impact of the 2017 sanctions on Venezuela: Revisiting the evidence — Brookings Institution
Miami-Dade County, Florida, has the largest Venezuelan population in the US with 124,087 residents as of 2025, reflecting a significant demographic increase due to migration since 2015.
Venezuelan Population in Florida by County : 2025 Ranking & Insights — Neilsberg Research
The US indictment alleges that Nicolás Maduro and associates facilitated the trafficking of thousands of tons of cocaine into the US through a narco-terrorism conspiracy involving regional drug groups.
How cocaine and corruption led to the indictment of Maduro — WTOP
The US military capture of Maduro in Venezuela violated fundamental principles of international law, including sovereignty, as condemned by UN experts.
UN experts condemn US aggression against Venezuela — Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Confirms that Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are scheduled for their second appearance in federal court in the Southern District of New York on Thursday, as part of an ongoing U.S. prosecution.
- Clarifies that Thursday’s hearing is a status conference where the court will address discovery, a pre-trial motions schedule, and possibly discuss a trial date.
- Restates that Maduro and Flores face narco-terrorism conspiracy and drug trafficking charges tied to an alleged large-scale cocaine distribution network, and that both pleaded not guilty in January.
- Notes they have been held for nearly three months at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
- Details a defense motion asking Senior U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein to dismiss the case over a claimed violation of Maduro’s right to a fair defense because his lawyers say OFAC sanctions licenses are needed before they can be paid by the Venezuelan government.