Judge Hellerstein died on Wednesday morning, according to a court spokesman. He was appointed in 1998 and was overseeing the trial of Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela.
Seeking new elections, María Corina Machado will need to tread carefully to avoid offending the Trump administration, while also asserting her own leadership.
Blocked from entering her country, Venezuela’s opposition leader spoke with The Times about her efforts to return and her relationship with the Trump administration.