This decision was made on Wednesday by Judge Alvin Hellerstein, AFP reports. Maduro and Flores have been in custody at a Brooklyn jail for more than seven months. They were brought to the U.S. following a military operation conducted in Caracas on January 3. The couple faces charges related to drug trafficking, illegal possession of firearms, and a number of crimes including conspiracy to import cocaine and acquire automatic weapons and explosives. Both defendants do not admit their guilt. Maduro himself calls himself a prisoner of war and considers the charges against him to be unfounded. The hearing was accompanied by demonstrations from supporters and opponents of the former Venezuelan leader. Demonstrators with Venezuelan flags and signs calling for Maduro's release gathered outside the courthouse in Manhattan, while their opponents labeled him and Cilia Flores as dictators. The case remains not only criminal but also politically significant. Following Maduro's arrest, the leadership of Venezuela passed to former Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, while control over the export of Venezuelan oil is effectively exercised by the U.S., which deposits the revenues into special accounts under its management. In the spring, U.S. authorities allowed the use of funds to pay for the legal defense of Maduro and Flores, despite existing sanctions. Prior to this, funding for lawyers had been blocked. The defense of the former president had previously sought to dismiss the case, arguing that restrictions on payment for legal services violate the right guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution for defendants to choose their own attorney. Now the court is set to consider the case on its merits in the summer of 2027.