The United States will allow Venezuela to pay Nicolás Maduro’s legal defense costs, a court filing shows, removing a roadblock to the ousted leader’s trial in New York on drug and other charges.U.S. Treasury sanctions have previously prevented Venezuela, now ruled by Maduro’s deputies, from sending funds to pay for lawyers representing the leftist strongman and his wife.The two were captured by U.S. forces during an overnight raid in early January and flown to New York to face federal criminal charges. The Maduros’ defense had sought to have their case dismissed on the grounds that blocking funding violated the U.S. Constitutional right of choice of counsel.A court filing by U.S. prosecutors in New York on Friday said the Treasury Department’s “Office of Foreign Assets Control issued modified attorney licenses to the defendants” authorizing them to “receive payments from the Venezuelan government.” The funds must be provided after March 5, 2026, and cannot come from U.S.-regulated oil sales.The United States has effectively controlled Venezuelan oil exports since the overthrow of Maduro. The funds go into a special account overseen in Washington. The defense acknowledged the sanctions immunity and temporarily withdrew its motion to dismiss the charges, according to documents filed Friday.
