Maduro invokes head-of-state immunity in US drug trafficking case

Nicolas Maduro, the embattled President of Venezuela, has formally asked a United States federal judge to throw out drug trafficking charges against him, arguing that the court has no jurisdiction over a sitting foreign head of state.

His legal team filed a motion asserting sovereign immunity, a principle in international law that generally shields state leaders from prosecution in foreign courts. The defence maintains that Maduro's official status bars the US justice system from proceeding with the case.

Maduro, who has already entered a plea of not guilty, is currently scheduled to stand trial in June 2027. The case stems from allegations of narcotics trafficking levelled by US prosecutors, which the Venezuelan government has consistently rejected as politically motivated.

The motion now rests with the presiding judge, who must decide whether the immunity claim holds weight or whether the trial should proceed as scheduled. Legal experts note that the question of head-of-state immunity in such high-profile cases often involves complex diplomatic and judicial considerations.