Maduro’s Legal Defense Stalls as US Blocks Access to Venezuelan State Funds

The legal defense of ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro has hit a significant financial roadblock. Maduro’s legal team has formally petitioned a federal judge in New York to compel the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to release frozen Venezuelan public funds, arguing the former president lacks the personal resources necessary to mount a defense against his narco-terrorism charges.
The Letter to Judge Hellerstein
In a letter sent on February 20, 2026, to presiding U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, defense attorney Barry J. Pollack outlined the financial impasse. Pollack argued that under Venezuelan law, the state is obligated to cover the legal fees for both Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, stemming from actions taken during their time in office.
However, U.S. Treasury sanctions imposed by OFAC strictly prohibit any financial transfers from the Venezuelan government into the United States. According to the defense team, OFAC initially granted a special license to allow the transfer of funds to cover the legal fees, only to abruptly revoke the authorization just three hours later.
Constitutional Claims
The defense firm claims that this financial blockade is an intentional sabotage of the judicial process. They argue that by denying access to the Caribbean nation’s public coffers, the U.S. government is violating Maduro’s constitutional rights.
“By not allowing the Venezuelan government to pay for Mr. Maduro’s defense costs, OFAC interferes with Mr. Maduro’s ability to retain a lawyer and, therefore, with his right to a lawyer of his choice under the Sixth Amendment,” Pollack stated in the court filing. The defense team emphasized that “Venezuela would do it, and Mr. Maduro cannot pay a lawyer otherwise.”
Maduro, who was captured and brought to the U.S. earlier this year following the collapse of his regime, pleaded not guilty in January to a sweeping set of charges, including narco-terrorism, corruption, and drug trafficking. He remains in federal custody in Manhattan as Judge Hellerstein weighs the defense’s request regarding the frozen assets.