U.S. authorities have changed their position and allowed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores to pay for legal defense using Venezuelan funds in a criminal case in New York. Previously, this was prohibited due to sanctions. Bloomberg reports this, as written by UNN.
Details
The case concerns drug trafficking charges being heard in federal court in Manhattan. According to the agency, the decision was made after the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control issued the couple modified licenses allowing the use of Venezuelan funds to pay attorneys.
Positions of the parties
Previously, U.S. officials prohibited the use of these funds, believing it contradicted sanctions policy. Maduro's defense insisted that such a ban violates the right to a fair trial and demanded the case be dismissed.
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After the decision change, the parties reported the withdrawal of the corresponding motion.
Case progress
U.S. prosecutors claim that Maduro was involved in a conspiracy to smuggle cocaine into the U.S. and collaborated with groups that Washington has designated as foreign terrorist organizations. According to the prosecution, he acted for personal enrichment while in power.
Maduro himself and his wife do not admit guilt.
Manhattan prosecutor Jay Clayton asked the court to schedule the trial in about 60 days.
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