“PRISONER OF WAR” CLAIM
Maduro, 63, has pleaded not guilty to the US drug trafficking prices and declared that he’s a “prisoner of struggle” in a listening to on Jan 5.
He’s accused of getting allied himself with guerrilla actions, significantly Colombian teams Washington considers “terrorist”, in addition to with felony cartels to ship tons of cocaine to the USA.
Pollack beforehand mentioned that the Treasury Division’s Workplace of International Belongings Management, chargeable for implementing sanctions, initially granted licences on Jan 9 permitting him to take fee for representing Maduro and his spouse, co-accused Cilia Flores.
However Pollack mentioned that three hours later, OFAC issued an amended licence that blocked him from taking fee for the previous president.
“By its failure to permit the federal government of Venezuela to pay Mr Maduro’s defence prices, OFAC is interfering with Mr Maduro’s capacity to retain counsel and, subsequently, his proper below the Sixth Modification to counsel of his selection,” Pollack mentioned in a letter to the court docket dated Feb 20.
He mentioned his workforce had lodged a problem with OFAC and that if it did not act, he would formally complain to the court docket, saying that Maduro “can’t in any other case afford counsel”.
Prosecutors fired again, saying a court docket submitting that “even when the defendants’ constitutional rights have been violated – which they weren’t – dismissal of the indictment could be far too drastic a treatment”.
Venezuela is now led by Delcy Rodriguez, who had been Maduro’s vp since 2018 however is now working carefully with Washington.
This month, the State Division mentioned it was restoring diplomatic ties with Venezuela in an indication of thawing relations after Maduro’s ouster.
Safety is predicted to once more be heightened for the listening to, with a safety cordon of metal imposed across the downtown courthouse for his first look in January.
Presiding over the case is Alvin Hellerstein, a 92-year-old choose credited with presiding over a number of trials throughout his a long time on the bench.
