The Daily Journal — Federal prosecutors for the Southern District of New York formally requested a postponement of the upcoming status conference in the criminal case against former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Moros and his wife, Cilia Flores de Maduro. Defense counsel for both defendants expressly agreed to the request.
Federal prosecutor Jay Clayton submitted the official filing, dated June 15, to District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein on behalf of the U.S. Department of Justice. In the letter, government attorneys argued that the court should reschedule the session originally set for the end of June because officials need additional time to address issues related to the defendants’ custody and transportation.
Prosecutors based their request on the operational challenges involved in safeguarding the Venezuelan political figures while they remain in federal custody.
“The Government writes, with the consent of the defense, to respectfully request a brief adjournment of the next status conference, currently scheduled for June 30, 2026, to July 22, 2026, at 12:00 p.m.,” the official correspondence states.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the delay is necessary to prevent organizational difficulties during transportation to the federal courthouse in Manhattan.
“The Government understands that the adjournment is necessary to avoid scheduling and logistical issues related to providing secure transportation and security for the current June 30 date,” U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton stated in the filing.
At the same time, prosecutors submitted a related motion seeking a temporary suspension of the procedural deadlines established by U.S. law for the start of trial proceedings.
The government formally asked the court “to exclude the period between June 30 and July 22, 2026, as to both defendants under the Speedy Trial Act, pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 3161(h)(7)(A).”
