The Trump administration has blocked Venezuela’s government from paying the legal fees of former president Nicolás Maduro, who is facing drug-trafficking charges in New York, according to his attorney. Lawyer Barry Pollack said the U.S. Treasury Department revoked permission for the payments just hours after initially approving them, potentially interfering with Maduro’s constitutional right to legal counsel. Pollack argued that Venezuelan law obligates the state to cover the defense costs of its former leader, who he says cannot afford representation on his own.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been held without bail in New York since their capture in a U.S. military operation in Caracas on Jan. 3. Both have pleaded not guilty to charges that include facilitating large-scale cocaine shipments into the United States and involvement in violent criminal activities. The case stems from a long-running U.S. indictment accusing Maduro and associates of conspiring with drug cartels and armed groups to traffic narcotics.
The dispute over legal fees is closely tied to U.S. foreign policy toward Venezuela. Washington has refused to recognize Maduro as the country’s legitimate leader and has supported a new administration under acting president Delcy Rodríguez. Pollack warned that blocking payment could undermine Maduro’s Sixth Amendment right to counsel of his choice, while U.S. officials have not publicly explained the reversal. Maduro is scheduled to return to federal court for a hearing on March 17.
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