US authorities have authorized the Venezuelan government to pay for legal services of the indicted former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.
“The parties jointly notify the court that the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued amended licenses regarding legal services for Nicolas Maduro and Cilia Flores. The amended licenses allow defense lawyers to receive payments from the Venezuelan government under certain conditions“, the letter to Judge Alvin Hellerstein said.
In response, the defense withdrew its requests that the case against the Venezuelan leader be dismissed due to inability to pay for legal services. The parties also requested that the next hearing be held within two months.
Maduro had previously requested that the trial against him in the United States be terminated due to procedural violations. The Venezuelan leader stated that his government was ready to finance his legal defense, but Washington prevented this. In late March, Hellerstein refused to terminate the case. However, he promised to decide soon whether to force the US administration to allow Venezuela to pay for legal services for Maduro and his wife.
On January 3, Maduro and his wife were kidnapped by US "seals" and deported to the United States, where a trial began against them. They are accused of drug trafficking. The functions of head of state in Venezuela are performed by Maduro's vice president, Delcy Rodriguez.