Maduro seeks dismissal of US drug-trafficking charges, citing presidential immunity

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has asked a US court to drop his drug-trafficking indictment, arguing immunity as a sitting head of state.

Maduro and wife invoke immunity to fight US drug charges in court

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife have filed a motion asking a United States judge to dismiss federal drug-trafficking charges against them, Google News MT reports, citing head-of-state immunity as the central legal argument.

The move, described by Politico as an attempt to have an "unprecedented" indictment thrown out, was filed in a US federal court. Maduro's legal team contends that as a sitting head of government, he cannot be subject to criminal prosecution in a foreign jurisdiction.

The indictment, which also names Maduro's wife, stems from allegations of drug trafficking. Prosecutors have not publicly indicated they intend to withdraw the case.

The immunity argument puts US courts in an unusual position: the defence is pressing them to apply principles of international law in a domestic criminal proceeding — a legal question that courts have historically approached with caution, according to the Maryland Daily Record.

No hearing date has been publicly confirmed. The case remains active, and a ruling on the dismissal motion is pending.

Maduro has governed Venezuela since 2013 and has consistently rejected US legal proceedings against him as politically motivated interference.

Source: Google News MT