Nicolás Maduro And His Wife Back In Federal Court For First Time Since Arraignment

Ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his woman Cilia Flores are scheduled to look successful a Manhattan national courtroom Thursday, wherever their lawyers are expected to reason that their drug trafficking indictment should beryllium thrown retired because nan U.S. authorities is blocking their expertise to salary for their defense.

Last month, Maduro and his woman moved to disregard nan case, arguing that nan U.S. authorities improperly restricted their expertise to money their ineligible defense by blocking entree to definite Venezuelan government-controlled funds.

Prosecutors from nan U.S. Attorney’s Office for nan Southern District of New York person rejected nan couples’ statement and person asked a judge to enforce strict limits connected really grounds is handled successful nan criminal lawsuit against them.

The Justice Department based on Maduro and his woman are permitted to usage individual and jointly held costs but not money tied to sanctioned Venezuelan entities.

Officers extracurricular tribunal successful New York City arsenic a convoy believed to beryllium carrying ousted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro arrives early Thursday. Charly Triballeau / AFP via Getty Images

In a filing submitted to Judge Alvin Hellerstein, prosecutors person besides requested a restrictive protective bid that would barroom Maduro and his woman from sharing find materials pinch 4 co-defendants who stay astatine large.

They based on that Maduro has a history of threatening opponents and allowing specified entree would airs “an unacceptable risk” to witnesses and their families, could lead to nan demolition of evidence, and mightiness discuss ongoing investigations.

Maduro and his woman were captured during a nighttime ambush successful Caracas by U.S. forces connected January 3 and flown to New York City, where they were arraigned 2 days later connected charges including narco-terrorism and supplier trafficking.

Both person pleaded not blameworthy and Maduro is presently being held astatine nan Metropolitan Detention Center successful Brooklyn.

Maduro and his co-conspirators, according to a national indictment, spent decades partnering pinch immoderate of nan world’s astir convulsive supplier traffickers and corrupt location officials to move ample quantities of cocaine into nan U.S.