NEW YORK — A U.S. judge pressed the Trump administration on Thursday about why the government continues to bar Venezuela from paying former President Nicolás Maduro’s legal fees in a New York drug trafficking case that has kept him behind bars in Brooklyn. The judge raised questions during a hearing in which Maduro and his wife and co-defendant, Cilia Flores, watched from the courtroom in beige jail uniforms.
Judge Alvin Hellerstein pressed the government about its basis for maintaining the funding restriction, as Maduro’s lawyers argued that blocking Venezuelan government money violates Maduro’s constitutional rights. They said the U.S. government has not allowed the funds to flow because of sanctions against Venezuela, even as U.S. and Venezuelan relations have shifted since Maduro’s capture by U.S. military forces in January.
Hellerstein specifically questioned why the prosecution’s argument still stood after relations warmed. He pointed to steps including the reestablishment of diplomatic ties between Venezuela and the U.S., Washington easing economic sanctions on Venezuela’s crucial oil industry, and the U.S. dispatching a chargé d’affaires to Caracas. “We have changed the situation in Venezuela,” Hellerstein observed, saying that “the current paramount goal and need and constitutional right is the right to defense.”
The judge did not issue a ruling during the Thursday hearing and did not indicate when he would rule. Prosecutors and defense attorneys also addressed wider issues tied to sanctions and the logistics of defending a complex case in U.S. court, with both sides looking to maintain their positions for the next stages of the prosecution.
Maduro and Flores faced each other with their lawyers and watched as procedural arguments unfolded, after making their first court appearance since a January arraignment. Maduro, according to the reporting, declared: “I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the constitutional president of my country.” Flores also pleaded not guilty. The pair have not asked to be released on bail, and Hellerstein has yet to set a trial date.
Outside the courthouse in Manhattan, supporters and critics rallied with competing messages. Some demonstrators chanted and beat drums and cowbells, including a sign reading “Maduro rot in prison.” On the other side of a metal barrier, people held placards reading “Free President Maduro.” In Caracas, hundreds of people gathered in a public plaza, including ruling party supporters, state employees and civilian militia members; retiree Eduardo Cubillan, 80, said the event reflected a hope that Venezuela’s leadership would be freed and said the January operation violated international legal principles.
The dispute over defense funding emerged as an early issue in the case. Assistant U.S. attorney Kyle Wirshba said sanctions were in place well before Maduro and Flores were charged and were driven by allegations that Maduro’s government was cracking down on free speech and plundering Venezuela’s wealth. Wirshba argued that letting Maduro and Flores use Venezuelan government funds to pay lawyers would “undermine the sanctions,” while the U.S. position allows the defendants to use personal funds if they have them.
Maduro’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, argued that if Maduro were forced to rely on private resources rather than Venezuelan government support, the complex defense would consume legal resources meant for people who cannot afford attorneys. Pollack said that approach did not make sense because, he argued, someone other than U.S. taxpayers stood ready to fund the defense. Pollack also sought dismissal of the case, but Hellerstein said he did not want to take that “serious step” while another remedy remained available, and said Pollack could revisit the dismissal request if the Treasury Department does not relent on its decision to bar Venezuela from paying Maduro’s legal fees.
The courtroom session also underscored the ongoing legal posture of the case. A 25-page indictment accuses Maduro and others of working with drug cartels and military personnel to facilitate the shipment of thousands of tons of cocaine into the U.S. It also alleges Maduro and Flores ordered kidnappings, beatings and murders of people who owed drug money or undermined the trafficking operation, and the defendants could face life in prison if convicted.
As the hearing ended, Maduro held up two fingers in a “V” gesture that has become a symbol in Venezuela and, according to the report, said “Hasta mañana,” shaking hands with Pollack before officers escorted him out. In Washington, President Donald Trump made comments about the case during a cabinet meeting, accusing Maduro of being a “major purveyor of drugs coming into our country” and saying Maduro would be given “a fair trial.” Meanwhile, day-to-day conditions for many Venezuelans remained difficult, with the report describing low monthly earnings for many public-sector employees and high inflation in recent months.