Lawyer Claims U.S. Is Preventing Venezuelan Government From Covering His Legal Expenses

Pollack Critiques U.S. Administration Over Maduro’s Legal Fees

U.S. attorney Barry Pollack has voiced his disapproval of the Trump administration for preventing the Venezuelan government from funding the legal representation of Nicolas Maduro, the ousted socialist leader, according to reports from Wednesday.

Pollack, who previously represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, is now defending Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores, in an ongoing drug-trafficking case in New York under the supervision of District Judge Alvin Hellerstein.

In a recent filing, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) initially granted a waiver from sanctions, allowing Maduro’s government to finance his legal representation. However, this license was reportedly amended within hours, retracting the authorization for such funding.

“According to Venezuelan law, the government traditionally covers the expenses for the president and first lady,” Pollack pointed out.

He further explained that there exists an obligation for the government to finance Maduro’s legal costs, asserting that he has a rightful expectation for this support, and without it, he would struggle to hire a lawyer.

Pollack contended that by blocking the Venezuelan government from providing these funds, OFAC is undermining Maduro’s ability to secure legal counsel, thereby infringing on his Sixth Amendment right to choose his lawyer.

Maduro and Flores were detained during a U.S. law enforcement operation in Caracas on January 3 and are currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. After his arrest, Maduro maintained his innocence.

“I’m innocent. I’m not guilty,” Maduro stated through an interpreter shortly thereafter. “I’m a decent human being. I remain the president of my country.”

The U.S. has not acknowledged Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate leader since 2019, following allegations of fraudulent elections in 2018 that allowed him to stay in power against chosen opponents.

In attempts to maintain control, Maduro organized contested elections in July 2024, claiming victory despite a lack of corroborating evidence or documentation made public by Venezuelan officials. Multiple countries, including the U.S., Canada, and most of Latin America, do not recognize the legitimacy of this election.

During a January hearing, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed his concerns, labeling Maduro as an indicted drug criminal, not the rightful president of Venezuela.