Maduro files lawsuit to cancel narco-terrorism charges

Istanbul (ANTARA) - Former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is scheduled on Thursday (26/3) to ask a US federal judge to dismiss the narco-terrorism charges, claiming that Washington has hindered his ability to build a legal defence, according to a US media report. Judge Alvin Hellerstein had previously scheduled a hearing to allow Maduro’s lawyers and his wife, Cilia Flores, to review evidence, prepare pre-trial motions, and potentially set a trial schedule. In that hearing, Maduro is expected to seek dismissal of the case amid a dispute over legal fees, as his lawyer, Barry Pollack, cannot receive payments from Venezuela without a US sanctions exemption, which has not yet been granted. Pollack stated that the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control had initially approved but then revoked permission allowing Venezuela to pay his legal fees. He added that due to US sanctions against Maduro and the Venezuelan government, such payments require official authorisation. Prosecutors stated that the permission was granted in error and subsequently revoked, adding that Maduro and his wife can still use their personal funds in Venezuela to cover legal costs. The lawyers noted that Maduro’s opportunities to access defence funds are highly limited, although he is entitled to court-appointed counsel, while he and his wife deny the drug and weapons charges during their detention in the US. Pollack also said he would challenge the legality of Maduro’s arrest and argue that he has immunity from prosecution, as the alleged violations occurred while he was still serving as president. Maduro and his wife remain detained in a federal facility in New York after their arrest on 3 January in a US military operation in Caracas, followed by charges of narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking. Source: Anadolu