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Ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro asks judge to toss indictment
| USA | general | ✓ Verified - nbcnews.com

Ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro asks judge to toss indictment

#Nicolás Maduro #Venezuelan leader #Criminal indictment #Legal defense #U.S. sanctions #Drug conspiracy charges #Treasury Department #Manhattan federal court

📌 Key Takeaways

  • Maduro's attorney asks judge to dismiss indictment due to blocked access to Venezuelan funds
  • Maduro faces charges including drug conspiracy and narco-terrorism
  • Treasury Department initially approved licenses but later amended Maduro's to block defense funds
  • Maduro argues he has right to government-funded legal defense as former head of state

📖 Full Retelling

Ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro's attorney Barry Pollack asked a federal judge in Manhattan on Thursday, February 26, 2026, to dismiss the criminal indictment against his client, arguing that the Trump administration's actions are preventing Maduro from accessing Venezuelan government funds needed for his legal defense. Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were captured by U.S. forces in Caracas in January and flown to the United States to face criminal charges, including conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns, destructive devices, and narco-terrorism conspiracy. The couple has pleaded not guilty to all counts, with prosecutors alleging that Maduro and his co-conspirators have partnered with violent drug traffickers and corrupt officials to distribute large quantities of cocaine to the United States for decades. In his court filing, Pollack emphasized that as Venezuela's head of state, Maduro has both a right and expectation to have legal fees funded by the Venezuelan government, adding that without access to these funds, any verdict against Maduro would be constitutionally suspect.

🏷️ Themes

Legal Defense, International Relations, Government Sanctions

📚 Related People & Topics

Department of the Treasury

Topics referred to by the same term

Department of (the) Treasury or Treasury Department may refer to: Department of the Treasury (Australia) Department of Treasury and Finance (South Australia) Department of Treasury and Finance (Victoria) Department of Treasury (Western Australia) Department of the Treasury (Isle of Man) Puerto Rico...

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Defense (legal)

Legal procedure

In a civil proceeding or criminal prosecution under the common law or under statute, a defendant may raise a defense (or defence) in an effort to avert civil liability or criminal conviction. A defense is put forward by a party to defeat a suit or action brought against the party, and may be based o...

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Indictment

Formal accusation that someone committed a crime

An indictment ( in-DYTE-mənt) is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that use the concept of felonies, the most serious criminal offense is a felony. Jurisdictions that do not use that concept often use that of an indictable offence, which is an offence that req...

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Original Source
Ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro asks judge to toss indictment The U.S. captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and flew them to the New York to face criminal charges. A demonstration to demand Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's return to office, three days after U.S. forces captured him and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Caracas in January. The couple were charged with conspiracy to import cocaine and weapons charges. Matias Delacroix / AP Share Add NBC News to Google Feb. 26, 2026, 9:24 PM EST By Chloe Atkins Listen to this article with a free account 00:00 00:00 An attorney for deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro asked a federal judge on Thursday to toss out the indictment filed against his client, arguing the Trump administration is blocking Venezuelan government funds needed to pay for his legal defense. Maduro's lawyer, Barry Pollack , filed the court documents in Manhattan federal court, claiming that the government's action is preventing his client from retaining counsel of his choice and receiving a fair defense. "Mr. Maduro, as Venezuela’s head of state, has both a right and an expectation to have legal fees associated with these charges funded by the government of Venezuela," Pollack said. In January, the administration captured Maduro and his wife , Cilia Flores, and flew them to the United States to face criminal charges. The couple were charged with conspiracy to import cocaine, along with possession of machine guns and destructive devices. Maduro is also charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy. Maduro and Flores have pleaded not guilty to all counts. Prosecutors alleged in the indictment that Maduro and his co-conspirators have "for decades, partnered with some of the most violent and prolific drug traffickers and narco-terrorists in the world, and relied on corrupt officials throughout the region, to distribute tons of cocaine to the United States," according to the indictment. In Maduro's request to dismiss the case, Pollack said that...
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