Khaberni - American federal judge Alvin Hellerstein has handled a large number of significant cases over nearly three decades, including files related to Donald Trump, the September 11 attacks, and genocide in Sudan.
Today, the veteran judge, aged 92, presides over what may be the biggest case of his judicial career. Hellerstein is set to read the indictment against Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, thereby initiating a judicial process that had been on hold for six years after Maduro managed to evade arrest since the American prosecution first charged him.
During this time, Hellerstein has been reviewing cases involving several defendants associated with the same file.
It is noted that Judge Hellerstein was appointed to the federal judiciary in 1998, and became a "senior judge" in 2011.
Despite his advanced age, he is still fully engaged in court activities, continuing to handle complex criminal cases, national security-related files, and terrorism-related lawsuits.
Over the years, his judicial agenda has included highly complex financial prosecutions, in addition to major civil cases, among them lawsuits arising from the terrorist attacks on September 11.
According to the U.S. prosecution, Maduro faces a wide range of federal charges including drug trafficking, corruption, and crimes related to terrorism.
This pursuit has particularly garnered interest in Israel and among Jewish communities worldwide, given Maduro's close ties with Iran and his long history of hostile rhetoric towards Israel and "Zionism" during his time in power, according to Israeli media.
In April 2024, Judge Hellerstein sentenced retired Venezuelan General Cliver Alcala to more than 21 years in prison. On February 23, he is scheduled to deliver his verdict against the former head of the Venezuelan intelligence agency, retired General Hugo Carvajal.
