US Eases Sanctions to Allow Maduro’s Legal Defense
The United States has modified sanctions on Venezuela to allow the government to fund the legal defense of former President Nicolás Maduro.
The decision removes an obstacle that had threatened to disrupt his trial in New York, where he faces charges including narcoterrorism conspiracy and drug trafficking. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured by US special forces in Caracas on 3 January and brought to New York. Both have pleaded not guilty and remain detained in Brooklyn pending trial.
Earlier, US sanctions had blocked the use of Venezuelan state funds to pay Maduro’s lawyers. His defense argued that the restriction violated his constitutional right to choose legal counsel, while Judge Alvin Hellerstein also raised questions about whether the ban could still be justified.
Washington has now backed down and allowed the funds to be used, removing the risk that the case could be delayed or challenged on procedural grounds.