The ousted Nicolás Maduro hired the renowned criminal lawyer Barry Pollackknown for his defense in the case of Julian Assange, for his defense in the narcoterrorism case he faces in the Southern District of New York.
Pollack filed a formal notice to appear in court on Monday, stating that will assume the legal representation of Maduro in this judicial process. This was reported by journalist David Alandete, White House correspondent, who shared an image of the document.
Barry Pollack, a Washington lawyer with more than 35 years of experience in criminal defense, has been a central figure in highly complex cases, such as Assange’s, and has litigated cases related to national security, espionage and financial crimes.
Barry Pollack, Julian Assange’s main defender
He was Assange’s main defender for more than a decade and negotiator of the agreement with the United States Department of Justice in 2024, which allowed the release of the founder of Wikileaks.
The lawyer is now leading Maduro’s defense in the narcoterrorism case, in which he is accused of conspiracy to import cocaine and use of destructive weapons in an international drug trafficking network.
He appearance of counsel filed by Pollack before the Federal Court for the Southern District of New York is a formal document confirming Maduro’s legal representation before the court, a step in the judicial process.
Maduro appeared before a federal judge
This hearing occurs after Maduro’s capture on Saturday in Caracas, in an operation by US forces that transferred him to New York, where appeared for the first time before a federal judge on Monday at noon.
Along with him, his wife, Cilia Flores, is also involved in the case and faces charges related to drug trafficking.
Maduro and Flores were transferred from the federal prison in Brooklyn in a helicopter that took them to the courthouse, where they were escorted by a heavy police presence.
The expanded indictment presented by the United States Department of Justice covers several serious charges, including narcoterrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine, in addition to implicating Maduro’s wife for her alleged participation in the logistical coordination of the drug trafficking network.
The case is presided over by federal judge Alvin Hellerstein.
Meanwhile, in Venezuela, during the years of the Chavista regime, Opponents detained for political reasons could not choose their trusted lawyers. On the contrary, public lawyers incapable of offering an effective defense were imposed.
