Trump admin blocks Venezuelan authorities from paying Nicolas Maduro's authorized charges

[ad_1] NEW Now you can take heed to Fox Information articles!

The Trump administration has moved to dam the Venezuelan authorities from masking the authorized bills of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as he fights federal drug trafficking and weapons fees in New York, in accordance with a court docket submitting from his lawyer.

Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty in federal court in New York on Jan. 5 to drug trafficking and weapons fees, days after American forces captured them on the presidential palace in Venezuela.

In a letter to U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein , who's overseeing the case within the Southern District of New York, Maduro’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, mentioned the U.S. was stopping the Venezuelan authorities from masking his consumer's authorized charges.

"The federal government of Venezuela has an obligation to pay Mr. Maduro’s charges. Mr. Maduro has a reputable expectation that the federal government of Venezuela would achieve this, and Mr. Maduro can't in any other case afford counsel," Pollack wrote.

<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/343/192/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-007.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/686/384/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-007.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/672/378/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-007.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/1344/756/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-007.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/931/523/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-007.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/1862/1046/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-007.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/720/405/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-007.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/1440/810/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-007.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> Nicolás Maduro is seen in handcuffs after touchdown at a Manhattan helipad, escorted by Federal brokers as they make their means into an armored automobile en path to a Federal courthouse in Manhattan on Jan. 5, 2026, in New York Metropolis. (XNY/Star Max/GC Photographs)

Within the letter, dated Feb. 20, Pollack argued that below "Venezuelan legislation and customized, the federal government of Venezuela pays the bills of the President and First Woman."

Pollack mentioned that Maduro and the Venezuelan authorities have been subjected to sanctions by the Division of the Treasury’s Workplace of International Property Management (OFAC), and his authorized counsel would should be granted a license to symbolize him and be paid.

Whereas Pollack mentioned OFAC granted licenses for each Maduro and Flores on Jan. 9, Maduro's license was amended "with out clarification" to not permit the Venezuelan authorities to pay for his protection prices.

MADURO ALLY ALEX SAAB ARRESTED IN JOINT US-VENEZUELAN OPERATION, OFFICIAL SAYS

Captured Venezuelan chief Nicolás Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores, seem with their attorneys Barry Pollack and Mark Donnelly at their arraignment in a federal court docket in New York Metropolis on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. (Jane Rosenberg)

Flores' license was not impacted, in accordance with Pollack.

Pollack mentioned that OFAC is "interfering with Mr. Maduro’s means to retain counsel" and violating his Sixth Amendment right to counsel of his alternative.

Maduro's lawyer mentioned OFAC has not responded to his request to reinstate the unique license and threatened to take authorized motion if it continued to take action.

RUBIO DEFENDS US ASSAULT ON VENEZUELA, CALLS OUT REPORTER FOR TRYING TO START A FIGHT

<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/343/192/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-011.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/686/384/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-011.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/672/378/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-011.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/1344/756/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-011.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/931/523/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-011.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/1862/1046/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-011.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/720/405/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-011.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/1440/810/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-federal-charges-transfer-new-york-011.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> Nicolás Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores, are seen in handcuffs after touchdown at a Manhattan helipad earlier than being escorted to a Federal courthouse in Manhattan on Jan. 5, 2026, in New York Metropolis. (XNY/Star Max/GC Photographs)

"If OFAC fails to behave on the request to reinstate the unique license, or denies that request, Mr. Maduro will file a proper movement within the coming days searching for aid from the Courtroom," he wrote.

The U.S. navy performed an operation to seize Maduro in Caracas on Jan. 3. He was flown to New York, the place he's being held in a federal jail .

Maduro was charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy , cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine weapons and harmful gadgets, and conspiracy to own machine weapons and harmful gadgets.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Flores faces three fees: cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine weapons and harmful gadgets, and conspiracy to own machine weapons and harmful gadgets.