**Jan. 5, 2026, 7:00 p.m. ET**
The newly appointed judge overseeing Nicolás Maduro’s trial is a 92-year-old hard-nosed authority figure who has presided over several high-profile cases, RadarOnline.com can reveal — including some against President Trump.
### Maduro’s Day in Court
Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, made their first court appearances on drug trafficking charges Monday, January 5, before Judge Alvin Hellerstein.
“I’m innocent. I am not guilty,” the 63-year-old declared. “I am a decent man, the president of my country.”
The ousted Venezuelan leader faces four federal charges: narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the United States. The charges also extend to his wife, his son, and two other high-ranking officials in his government.
Judge Hellerstein responded to the court: “A plea of not guilty will be entered on behalf of Mr. Maduro.”
### Tough But Fair
Judge Alvin Hellerstein is one of the longest-serving sitting judges, having been appointed a federal judge for the Southern District of New York by then-President Bill Clinton in May 1998.
He is a well-respected figure with a key role in many controversial cases. Among them are the sexual harassment case against film producer Harvey Weinstein and a legal dispute involving Paris Hilton over royalties for a lingerie line she was set to design.
Hellerstein also oversaw civil compensation claims brought by victims of the 9/11 attacks. Colleagues and adversaries alike describe him as a tough but fair decider.
“He tries very hard to do the right thing,” one former federal prosecutor told *Politico*. “He just has his own sense of what that is.”
Another added, “He’s just old and old-school and does things his own way and doesn’t give a s— what anyone thinks about him.”
### Judge Hellerstein Once Sided With Stormy Daniels Over Trump
Judge Hellerstein has also presided over several high-profile cases involving former President Donald Trump. Notably, he ruled against Trump in cases related to alleged hush money payments to pornstar Stormy Daniels.
Hellerstein twice rejected Trump’s attempts to move the case from state to federal court months after the former president was found guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover payments to the adult film actress.
In his rulings, Judge Hellerstein asserted that Trump’s lawyers’ arguments were insufficient for moving the case out of New York. He wrote in court documents:
> “Nothing in the Supreme Court’s opinion affects my previous conclusion that the hush money payments were private, unofficial acts, outside the bounds of executive authority.”
### Trump’s Respect for Judge Hellerstein
Despite the rulings against him, Trump has expressed respect for Judge Hellerstein. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One regarding the court case against Maduro, Trump called the judge “infallible.”
“We’re just going to go through a slog of a trial. A judge is very respected. (Hellerstein) is a highly respected judge,” Trump said confidently. “We’ll see how we do.”
https://radaronline.com/p/donald-trump-enemy-nicolas-maduro-trial-92-judge-alvin-hellerstein-stormy-daniels/
