Judge Signals Maduro Case Will Proceed With Defense Funding Unresolved

Overview

• In Manhattan federal court Thursday, Judge Alvin Hellerstein said he does not intend to dismiss the narcoterrorism case and reserved his decision.
• He left open who can fund the defense after the U.S. Treasury’s sanctions office revoked prior permissions, which prosecutors described as an administrative error.
• Lead lawyer Barry Pollack said he may withdraw if Venezuelan state funds remain blocked and argued that Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores cannot afford private counsel.
• President Donald Trump said his administration plans to file additional charges against Maduro, underscoring the case’s political and legal stakes.
• The narcoterrorism law at the center of the case has produced few trial convictions since 2006, highlighting the challenge of proving links between drug trafficking and terrorism.