Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—US colonial federal judge, Alvin Hellerstein, has scheduled a hearing for October 8 to consider the pretrial release request filed by Venezuela’s First Lady and National Assembly Deputy Cilia Flores, according to Document 330 in the Southern District of New York case docket. The hearing will begin at 10:30 a.m. New York time.The scheduling order, filed this Wednesday, September 16, endorses a briefing schedule submitted by Flores’ attorneys at Parker Sánchez & Donnelly following consultations with US prosecutors. The US imperial government must file its response opposing or addressing the request by September 23, while the defense will have until September 30 to submit its reply.Crucially, this order does not decide whether Flores will be released; it only establishes the timetable for both sides to present their arguments before the October 8 hearing.Flores filed her application on September 9, requesting permission to await trial under strict home detention because of what her lawyers describe as a serious and continuously deteriorating cardiac condition. Her proposed restrictions include GPS monitoring, round-the-clock armed surveillance, continuous video monitoring, surrender of all travel documents, an approved visitor list, and unannounced searches of the residence.According to the defense memorandum, the 69-year-old deputy previously required only a monthly injection to control a mitral valve prolapse. Since her brutal assault, kidnapping, and imprisonment, however, she has been prescribed four medications and keeps nitroglycerin available in case of acute chest pain.Her attorneys reported that Flores has lost more than 25 pounds, or 11.3 kilograms, and continues to experience reflux, gastritis, prolonged insomnia, tachycardia, dizziness, weakness, and difficulty breathing. Cardiac monitoring conducted in May recorded a 33-beat episode of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia, while medical personnel have recommended cardiac catheterization to investigate possible coronary artery disease and determine whether further intervention is required.The defense also stated that Flores was recovering from major surgery when US colonial forces bombed Venezuela and kidnapped her and President Nicolás Maduro on January 3. During the invasion, she was thrown against a hard surface and suffered a forehead injury requiring approximately 20 stitches. More than 100 people were murdered in the attack, including 47 Venezuelan and 32 Cuban service members.On September 10, Judge Hellerstein granted Flores’ request to keep Exhibit C—the medical records accompanying her application—under seal because of the sensitive personal information it contains. The legal memorandum explaining her request remains publicly available.Within the US settler entity, anti-war organization CODEPINK has launched a petition addressed to Judge Hellerstein, urging him to grant Flores pretrial release under home detention so she can receive appropriate cardiac treatment.The initiative forms part of a broader solidarity campaign supported by organizations including World BEYOND War, Task Force on the Americas, SanctionsKill, the Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition, Alliance for Global Justice, and Veterans For Peace Chapter 113 in Hawaii. Campaigners emphasize that Flores has not been convicted of any crime and argue that her health and life should not be placed at further risk while she awaits trial.Venezuela’s First Lady Cilia Flores Seeks Pretrial Release for Cardiac Treatment (+Conditions)President Maduro and Deputy Flores pleaded not guilty during their first court appearance on January 5. They remain imprisoned at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, and their trial is currently scheduled to begin on June 1, 2027. Special for Orinoco Tribune by staffOT/JRE/AU