Deposed Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro is scheduled to appear in a Manhattan federal court on Thursday in connection with his U.S. “narco‑terrorism” case, months after his capture by American forces in early January
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized on 3 January in a pre-dawn U.S. special operations raid in Caracas, an operation that reportedly left around 100 people dead. Prosecutors allege that Maduro led a corrupt and illegitimate government that used its authority to protect and promote illegal activities, including drug trafficking.
Both Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty at their 5 January arraignment. In recent weeks, Maduro sought to have the case dismissed, claiming that U.S. authorities were violating his “constitutional right to counsel of his choice” by preventing Venezuela’s government from funding his defense.
On 9 January, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) briefly issued a waiver allowing Maduro to receive legal funding from the sanctioned Venezuelan government, but reversed the decision just hours later. His lawyers said the reversal effectively deprived him of his constitutional rights, warning in court filings on 26 February that, if the interference continues, they could withdraw from the case, forcing the court to appoint counsel at U.S. taxpayers’ expense and potentially jeopardizing any verdict.
OFAC later explained the initial waiver was an administrative error and amended it to align with U.S. foreign policy and its licensing rules. Prosecutors, meanwhile, opposed Maduro’s dismissal request, noting that while sanctioned individuals may sometimes use personal funds for legal fees, it is “highly unusual” for a sanctioned government to be allowed to pay.
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