Judge says he won’t dismiss Nicolás Maduro’s case over legal fees dispute
A federal judge in Manhattan told captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro today that he will not dismiss drug conspiracy charges over a dispute about paying for his defense. Maduro, removed from Venezuela by U.S. forces in January, pleaded not guilty to allegations that he helped transport thousands of tons of cocaine into the United States. He could face decades in prison. His wife, Cilia Flores, facing similar charges, was also in court.
Maduro’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, argued the U.S. is blocking access to Venezuelan government funds, violating his right to choose counsel. Federal Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein said the charges will not be dismissed but noted that Maduro and Flores no longer pose a national security threat. “The right that’s implicated, paramount over other rights, is the right to constitutional counsel,” Hellerstein said. He did not rule on the funding dispute.
President Trump said today that more trials could follow, claiming that Maduro “emptied his prisons into our country.” Pollack said Venezuelan law requires the government to pay for Maduro’s defense, but U.S. restrictions block access, leaving him unable to hire his lawyer of choice.
Because the judge refused to dismiss the charges, Pollack and Mark E. Donnelly, Flores’s lawyer, requested to withdraw. U.S. officials said Maduro and Flores cannot use Venezuelan public funds under sanctions but can use personal funds. Maduro declared under penalty of perjury that he cannot afford his defense and wants Pollack to represent him. Prosecutors said court-appointed lawyers could be provided if needed but would not necessarily be their choice.
