The trial of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is putting to the test a rarely used US law, the narco-terrorism law, whose effectiveness remains uncertain in court.
Prosecuted in particular for conspiracy to traffic cocaine linked to activities described as terrorist, Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him.
Adopted in 2006, this legislation aims to establish a link between drug trafficking and terrorist actions, but its application has so far yielded limited results, with only a few convictions, some of which have subsequently been overturned.
One of the main obstacles for the prosecution lies in the credibility of the witnesses, who often come from criminal circles or former circles close to the Venezuelan government.
Prosecutors will have to demonstrate that the alleged drug trafficking activities were indeed linked to a strategy or actions that could be likened to terrorism, a particularly complex legal qualification.
Former military officials could play a key role in the case, with some having already expressed a willingness to cooperate with the US justice system.
This trial thus constitutes a major test for the United States' legal strategy in dealing with foreign leaders accused of transnational crimes.
Beyond the Maduro case, its outcome could change the use of the law on narcoterrorism, which is still little tested and contested, particularly due to the difficulties in establishing solid and consistent evidence before a jury.
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