Maduro Fights Indictment in NYC Court Over Legal Fees

Thu Mar 26 2026 12:50:48 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro seeks to dismiss his drug trafficking charges in New York, claiming U.S. restrictions on accessing legal funds violate his rights.

Nicolás Maduro, the former president of Venezuela, returns to a New York court to contest his drug trafficking indictment. His legal team argues that U.S. sanctions have blocked access to Venezuelan funds needed for his defense. This is the first court appearance for Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, since their capture by U.S. authorities in January. While they maintain their innocence, they remain in custody without bail as Maduro stresses that he cannot afford legal fees without government support. The outcome of this court case could have far-reaching implications as Venezuela navigates its political landscape.

NEW YORK (AP) — Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro returns to a New York courtroom Thursday as he seeks to have his drug trafficking indictment thrown out over a geopolitical dispute over legal fees.

Maduro’s lawyer contends that the U.S. is violating the deposed leader’s constitutional rights by blocking Venezuelan government funds from being used to pay his legal costs.

It’s the first time that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, will be in court since a January arraignment at which he protested their capture by U.S. military forces and declared: “I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the constitutional president of my country.” Flores has also pleaded not guilty.

Both remain jailed at a detention center in Brooklyn, and neither has asked to be released on bail. Judge Alvin Hellerstein has yet to set a trial date, though that could happen at the hearing.

Maduro, 63, and Flores, 69, continue to enjoy some support in Venezuela with murals and billboards across Caracas demanding their return. But while Maduro’s ruling party remains in power, he has been gradually replaced by Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s acting president.

Rodríguez has replaced senior officials, reorganized agencies, and eliminated tenets of the self-proclaimed socialist movement that has ruled for more than two decades, shifting the political landscape.

In a court filing last month, Maduro’s lawyer said the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control initially approved Venezuela to pay for his legal fees but then rescinded it shortly thereafter. Prosecutors stated that while personal funds could be used, those must not come from sanctioned government sources.

The situation remains dire for Maduro and Flores who face serious accusations of drug trafficking, ordering kidnappings, and more. If convicted, they could face life in prison, underscoring the precarious balance of power in Venezuela.