Deposed Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro is set to appear in a Manhattan federal court on Thursday as his U.S. “narco‑terrorism” trial continues, months after his dramatic capture by American forces.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were taken on 3 January during a pre-dawn U.S. raid in Caracas, an operation that reportedly killed around 100 people. U.S. prosecutors allege that Maduro ran a corrupt regime that used government power to protect and facilitate illegal drug trafficking.
Both pleaded not guilty at their 5 January arraignment. In recent weeks, Maduro asked the court to dismiss the case, arguing that U.S. officials were blocking Venezuela from funding his legal defense, violating his “constitutional right to counsel of his choice.”
The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) briefly allowed Maduro to use Venezuelan government funds for his defense on 9 January but reversed the decision hours later. His lawyers said this left him without the means to hire counsel, warning that if the issue continues, they may withdraw, forcing the court to appoint a lawyer at U.S. taxpayers’ expense and putting any verdict at risk.
OFAC later said the original license allowing the Venezuelan government to pay was issued in error and adjusted it to comply with U.S. policy. Prosecutors countered that while sanctioned individuals can typically use personal funds for legal fees, it is “highly unusual” for a sanctioned government to cover such costs.
Thursday’s court appearance highlights ongoing legal and diplomatic tensions surrounding Maduro’s case and the controversial U.S. raid that brought him to the United States.
