The U.S. Treasury Department has blocked the Venezuelan government from covering legal fees for President Nicolas Maduro, who remains detained in a New York federal prison following his kidnapping on January 3. The decision, denounced by Maduro’s lawyer Barry Pollack as a violation of the Sixth Amendment, came after the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) first granted and then abruptly revoked a license that would have allowed Caracas to finance the President’s primary defense.
According to Pollack, the revocation occurred less than three hours after the initial authorization was granted on January 9. He filed a complaint in Manhattan federal court, arguing that the Treasury Department’s maneuver interferes with President Maduro’s constitutional right to counsel of his choosing. Maduro himself affirmed in a sworn affidavit that he had formally contracted Pollack and his firm, Harris St. Laurent & Wechsler LLP, on January 4 to represent him, and that under Venezuelan law, the state is obligated to finance his legal defense, as he cannot personally bear these costs.
Maduro’s affidavit emphasizes the unprecedented nature of a sitting Head of State being prevented from having his legal fees paid by his government, underscoring his insistence on legal continuity and the right to maintain his chosen counsel. The controversy is compounded by OFAC maintaining a separate authorization allowing payments to the lawyers of Maduro’s wife, First Combatant Cilia Flores, who has also pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges. Critics argue this disparity highlights selective treatment in the enforcement of sanctions and procedural restrictions.
The legal battle unfolds against the backdrop of a federal case in which Maduro and Flores face charges of alleged drug trafficking and other offenses. The defense has requested that the court reinstate the payment license or formally recognize the Venezuelan state’s obligation to cover the President’s legal fees, framing the issue as both a constitutional and foreign policy dispute. A new hearing is scheduled for March 26, with attention focused on whether U.S. authorities will allow Maduro to retain his chosen counsel or continue to block state-funded legal representation.
