The crisis between Caracas and Washington is experiencing a new judicial and political chapter. It’s not new, now. requested this Thursday through his lawyer in the United States, Barry Pollack, that the case for drug trafficking and corruption opened against him be dismissed, after the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) denied him the license to finance his defense with funds from the Venezuelan State.
According to the motion filed with the court, OFAC has refused to authorize the Government of Venezuela to cover the legal fees of Madurowhich, in the opinion of his defense, violates his right to have the lawyer of his choice.
Pollack argued before the judge Alvin Hellerstein that the decision of the agency, dependent on the Department of the Treasury, represents a direct interference in the right to defense included in the Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution and in the right to due process.
In the documentation presented, Maduro included a sworn statement in which he assures that he wishes to continue, that the Venezuelan Government is willing to finance his defense and that he cannot afford it on his own. His legal team warned that any trial held under these circumstances would be “unconstitutionally flawed.”
The lawyer of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Henry Rodriguez Facchinetti, supported this position by pointing out that Caracas has the “clear and legal obligation” to cover the expenses of its president and assured that the funds allocated to defense are not linked to illicit activities.
Pollack added that if the court does not agree to dismiss the case, he will “reluctantly” request to withdraw from representing Maduro.
Caracas asks Trump to lift the blockade
In parallel to the judicial front, the Venezuelan Government intensified its political offensive. The president in charge of Venezuela, , the cessation of sanctions and the blockade against the South American country.
During an event with young Chavistas in the Teresa Carreño TheaterRodríguez celebrated that Trump called Venezuela a “new friend and partner” in his recent State of the Union speech.
“President Trump, as a friend, as a partner, we are opening a new agenda of cooperation with the United States, stop the sanctions and stop the blockade against our homeland“he stated.
The leader assured that Venezuela “It has never been an enemy country” of the United States and denied that it represents any threat. He also described January 3 as a “very bad start,” the date on which, according to him, the country was the victim of “military aggression” by the United States, in reference to the capture of Maduro.
Rodríguez He also recalled that billions of dollars in Venezuelan assets remain blocked abroad due to sanctions. However, he pointed out that part of these resources were recently unlocked, which made it possible to acquire hospital equipment in the United States.
own Trump highlighted this week the arrival of 80 million barrels of oil Venezuelan to the United States and described Caracas as a “new friend and partner”, in a context of reestablishment of diplomatic relations and reactivation of commercial ties since January.
While the defense of Maduro battles in the courts and the Government Venezuela appeals to political rapprochement, the pulse between sanctions, cooperation and judicial processes continues to mark the bilateral agenda between both countries.
