No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeBolivarian RevolutionUS judge postpones hearing in drug case of Venezuela first lady's nephews

US judge postpones hearing in drug case of Venezuela first lady’s nephews

A U.S. federal judge has postponed until next month a hearing in the drug smuggling case of two nephews of Venezuela’s first lady at the request of their lawyers, court documents showed Tuesday.

Efraín Antonio Campo Flores, 29, and Francisco Flores de Freitas, 30, had been scheduled to appear Wednesday on charges of conspiracy to smuggle at least five kilos of cocaine into the United States.

The two — sons of brothers of Venezuelan first lady Cilia Flores — were arrested in Haiti a week ago and flown to New York by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents.

Neither President Nicolás Maduro nor his wife have commented on the case, although the speaker of Venezuela’s National Assembly, Diosdado Cabello, on Monday denounced the arrests as a “kidnapping.”

In Manhattan, federal judge Paul Crotty approved a defense request to postpone Wednesday’s hearing and rescheduled it for Dec. 2, according to the court documents.

The arrests have come as Venezuelans are preparing to go to the polls on Dec. 6 for legislative elections that polls show could end the ruling party’s 16-year-old control of the National Assembly.

Trending Now

End of Air Canada Strike Brings Relief for Costa Rica-Bound Passengers

Air Canada flight attendants ended their strike Tuesday after reaching a tentative agreement with the airline, paving the way for flights to resume gradually....

Panama Canal Warns of Traffic Decline as Economic Uncertainty Grows

The Panama Canal will take in about $400 million less in the next fiscal year due to a drop in ship traffic caused by...

Costa Rica National Parks to Measure Tourism Impact

Costa Rica will now be able to measure the impact of tourism in its national parks, thanks to innovative environmental technology from The NeverRest...

An Expat’s Life with a Rescue Dog in Costa Rica

For the past 15 months I have been the primary caretaker of a bona fide street dog, a barrio zaguate called Dorothy. My wife...

Costa Rica’s Role in US Deportation Drama with Salvadoran Migrant

A Salvadoran man at the center of a heated US immigration battle could end up in Costa Rica if he accepts a guilty plea,...

Former Zoo to Become Costa Rica’s First Urban Natural Park

Simón Bolívar Park, in San José, will be the first space in the country to become an Urban Natural Park. The project, led by...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica