China Overturns Death Sentence of Canadian Robert Schellenberg, Signaling Thaw in Canada-China Relations 
Peter Mandelson Arrested in London Amid Jeffrey Epstein Ties Investigation 
U.S. Judge Allows Jeffrey Epstein Sex Trafficking Lawsuit Against Bank of America to Proceed 
California Seeks Court Order to Halt Amazon’s Alleged Price Inflation Practices 
Trump Administration Pushes for Permanent Iran Nuclear Deal Amid Rising Tensions 
Santos Wins Court Case Over Net Zero and Sustainability Claims 
Al Green Removed from House Chamber After Protesting Trump’s State of the Union Address 
Claudia Sheinbaum Considers Legal Action Against Elon Musk Over Cartel Allegations 
Tommy Robinson Visits U.S. State Department Amid Free Speech Debate 
Kim Jong Un Vows to Expand North Korea’s Nuclear Arsenal, Signals Conditional Talks With U.S. 
Bipartisan Senate Resolution Backs Ukraine Ahead of Trump’s State of the Union Address 
Albanese Backs Move to Remove Prince Andrew from Line of Succession Amid Ongoing Investigation 
House Fails to Pass ROTOR Act After Pentagon Objections, Delaying ADS-B Aviation Safety Mandate 
Meta Encryption Plan Sparks Child Safety Concerns Amid New Mexico Lawsuit 
Democrats Warn Trump’s China Tech Security Pause Threatens U.S. National Security 
Yoon Suk Yeol Apologizes After Life Sentence for Martial Law Decree in South Korea 
The United States government has blocked Venezuela from paying for Nicolas Maduro’s legal representation as he faces serious drug trafficking charges in New York, according to his defense attorney. The move adds another layer of complexity to the high-profile case involving the former Venezuelan president and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty on January 5 to federal drug trafficking charges that could result in decades-long prison sentences if convicted. The couple is currently detained in New York awaiting trial. U.S. prosecutors allege that Maduro abused his presidential authority over a 13-year period to assist narcotics traffickers, claims that his legal team strongly disputes.
In a letter to U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, defense lawyer Barry Pollack revealed that the U.S. Treasury Department initially granted an exemption on January 9 to allow Venezuela’s government to pay Maduro’s legal fees despite existing U.S. sanctions. However, the authorization was reportedly revoked just hours later without explanation. Pollack argued that under Venezuelan law and longstanding custom, the government is responsible for covering the legal expenses of both the President and First Lady. He added that Maduro expects this support and lacks the financial resources to fund his own defense.
The Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office, which filed the charges, declined to comment. The Treasury Department has not issued a public response regarding the revoked sanctions exemption.
Maduro and Flores were captured by U.S. special forces during a nighttime operation in Caracas on January 3, following sustained pressure from the Trump administration. Since his arrest, former Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has been leading Venezuela. During his initial court appearance, Maduro maintained that he remains the country’s legitimate president.
Flores may still be eligible to receive government funds for her defense, though her attorney has not commented publicly. Pollack is widely recognized for previously representing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
