US Allows Venezuela to Pay for Maduro's Legal Defense in Drug Trafficking Case

NEW YORK, April 25. /TASS/. US authorities have allowed the Venezuelan government to pay for legal services for President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, according to a document posted in the database of the federal court for the Southern District of New York. "The parties write jointly to advise the Court that the Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued amended licenses to counsel for defendants Nicolas Maduro Moros and Cilia Flores de Maduro. The amended licenses authorize defense counsel to receive payments from the Government of Venezuela under certain conditions," says a letter addressed to Judge Alvin Hellerstein. In this regard, the defense withdrew its motions to dismiss the case against the Venezuelan leader on the grounds that it was unable to pay for legal representation. The parties also requested that the next hearing in the case be held within two months. Maduro had previously demanded that the legal proceedings against him in the US be terminated due to procedural violations. The Venezuelan leader noted that his country's government was prepared to fund his legal defense, but that Washington was preventing it from doing so. In late March, Hellerstein refused to dismiss the case, though he said he would soon decide whether to order the US administration to allow Venezuela to pay for legal services for Maduro and his wife. On January 3, the United States attacked civilian and military targets in Venezuela, capturing the president and his wife and removing them from the country. On January 5, they appeared before a federal court in the Southern District of New York. They are charged with involvement in drug trafficking and have pleaded not guilty. The duties of head of state in Venezuela are being performed by acting President Delcy Rodriguez, who previously served as vice president under Maduro.