Federal Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, who presided over the criminal proceedings against Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores in the Southern District of New York, died on Wednesday at the age of 92, as confirmed by judicial system spokesperson Ed Friedland.
Hellerstein, who was nearing his 93rd birthday—born December 28, 1933—had been overseeing the case against Maduro and Flores since March 2020, following the initial narcoterrorism charges filed by U.S. prosecutors.
Friedland stated that the case, along with others the judge was handling, will be "randomly reassigned to another federal judge." However, no successor has yet been named.
The judge's passing occurs at a particularly crucial juncture in the case. Prior to his death, Hellerstein was set to rule on a sovereign immunity motion filed by Maduro's defense on September 2, 2026, seeking to dismiss all charges on the grounds that Maduro acted as a foreign head of state.
A hearing for this and other motions was scheduled for November 17, with the trial itself planned to begin on June 14, 2027. The reassignment brings uncertainty to these dates.
Appointed as a district judge by Democratic President Bill Clinton in 1998, Hellerstein was a significant figure in the federal judicial system. Since 2011, he held senior status, allowing him to continue working on high-impact cases with a lighter workload.
Hellerstein was an alumnus of Columbia University, served in the Army Judge Advocate General's Corps from 1957 to 1960, and spent nearly four decades at the law firm Stroock & Stroock & Lavan. He was renowned for overseeing litigation related to the September 11, 2001, attacks, cases against high-ranking financial executives, and matters involving former Venezuelan officials, including Hugo "El Pollo" Carvajal.
Following Maduro's capture in Caracas on January 3, 2026, and his extradition to the United States, Hellerstein presided over his initial court appearance alongside his wife, Cilia Flores, where both pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan federal court.
On October 8, the prosecution filed a superseding indictment adding conspiracy to commit torture charges and formally including Flores in the narcoterrorism charge. Both defendants reiterated their not guilty pleas before Hellerstein on October 15.
The accumulated charges carry mandatory minimum sentences of approximately 50 years in prison if convicted on all counts.
The U.S. government refutes the sovereign immunity claim, affirming that Washington recognizes Delcy Rodríguez—not Maduro—as Venezuela's legitimate authority. The immunity motion was among the most pressing issues the new judge will need to address.
An analysis earlier this year noted that under Hellerstein's jurisdiction, "this was not just a criminal trial but an unprecedented chapter in U.S.-Venezuela relations." Now, this chapter must continue under a different magistrate.
Key Aspects of the Nicolás Maduro Case in the U.S.
What charges are Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores facing?
They are facing charges of narcoterrorism and conspiracy to commit torture, among others, which could result in mandatory minimum sentences of around 50 years if convicted.
Who will oversee the case after Judge Hellerstein's death?
The case will be randomly assigned to another federal judge, but no successor has been announced yet.
Why is the sovereign immunity motion significant?
The motion seeks to dismiss all charges against Maduro on the grounds that he acted as a foreign head of state, making it a pivotal aspect of the legal proceedings.