U.S. Moves to Block Maduro’s Legal Expenses
The Trump administration is attempting to prevent the Venezuelan government from covering the legal costs of former President Nicolás Maduro, who faces serious federal drug trafficking and weapons charges in New York. This information comes from a recent court filing by his lawyers.
On January 5, Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, entered not guilty pleas in a federal court in New York, shortly after being detained by U.S. forces at the Venezuelan presidential palace.
Maduro’s attorney, Barry Pollack, communicated in a letter to U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein that the U.S. is obstructing the Venezuelan government’s ability to pay for his client’s defense.
Pollack expressed that “the Venezuelan government is obligated to cover Mr. Maduro’s expenses. He genuinely expects this support, otherwise, he may find it challenging to finance legal representation,” he stated.
In his letter dated February 20, Pollack pointed out that under Venezuelan law and customs, the government typically handles the costs for the president and first lady.
He also mentioned that both Maduro and his government are under sanctions imposed by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which necessitates that Maduro’s lawyers be licensed and paid for their work.
While OFAC granted licenses to Maduro and Flores on January 9, Pollack claimed that Maduro’s license was subsequently amended—without clear reasoning—that barred the Venezuelan government from covering his legal fees.
Pollack noted that while Flores’ license remains unaffected, he believes that OFAC’s actions impede Maduro’s right to choose his own legal counsel, effectively violating his Sixth Amendment rights.
Furthermore, he indicated that OFAC had not yet responded to requests for restoring Maduro’s initial license and warned of possible legal action if this situation persists.
On January 3, the U.S. military captured Maduro during an operation in Caracas. He has since been relocated to New York, where he is currently in federal custody.
Maduro faces multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism and possession of a machine gun, while Flores is charged with conspiracy to import cocaine and similar weapons charges.
Communication has been sought from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Treasury Department regarding this case.
