A US federal court judge has declined to throw out the narco-terrorism indictment, for now, against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who is imprisoned in the US after being captured by American forces in January.
Maduro’s defense had sought to have the case dismissed on the grounds that US sanctions are preventing the Venezuelan government from paying the legal fees for Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Senior Judge Alvin Hellerstein said that he would not be throwing out the case for now as he questioned the Trump administration’s decision to continue to prohibit Caracas from footing the bill, particularly as relations warm following Maduro’s ouster.
Prosecutors had sought to defend the ongoing prohibition, saying the couple could use a public defender, but Hellerstein appeared skeptical of that argument.
The judge suggested that he could revisit his decision not to throw out the case if he later determines that the Trump administration is arbitrarily preventing Maduro from paying for counsel. The hearing was the second since Maduro and Flores were abducted. The Venezuelan leader and first lady previously pleaded not guilty during an initial hearing in January.
