The legal defense team for Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores intends to file a motion in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York to dismiss their drug trafficking charges based on diplomatic immunity. ^[1] Defense lawyers for Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores are preparing a formal motion to claim immunity and challenge the jurisdiction of the US Federal Court in New York. ^[2] Nicolás Maduro, who pleaded not guilty, seeks dismissal of the case based on sovereign immunity and the legality of the January 3, 2026 US military raid in Venezuela. ^[3] Nicolás Maduro's legal team will present initial motions on September 2 to dismiss a criminal drug trafficking case against the former Venezuelan leader in the Southern District of New York. ^[4] Defense lawyers argue that international law generally protects heads of state in office from being prosecuted in foreign courts. ^[5] Lawyer Nizar El Fakih stated that the defense has prepared its first motion to be filed in the coming hours, which will start a period of several weeks of procedural developments. ^[6] The trial against Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores is scheduled to begin on June 1, 2027, according to Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein. ^[7] Maduro faces charges including narcoterrorism, conspiracy, drug trafficking, and money laundering. ^[8] Venezuelan attorney Nizar El Fakih stated that the motion is expected to be filed within hours or by September 2, 2026. ^[9] Barry Pollack, Maduro's legal representative, argued that the former leader enjoys procedural immunity due to his status as head of state and questioned the legitimacy of the US military incursion into Venezuelan territory. ^[10] The defense will argue that Maduro possesses immunity as a head of state, a claim that must be evaluated by Judge Alvin Hellerstein before the trial scheduled for June 1, 2027. ^[11] The US government does not recognize Nicolás Maduro as the president of Venezuela since 2019, which undermines his claim of immunity under US judicial criteria. ^[12]