Venezuelan deputy Nicolás Maduro Guerra, son of Nicolás Maduro, stated on Monday that his father “is very well” and with “a lot of spirit,” two days before his second trial hearing in the United States, where he is being held after being captured by U.S. troops last January. “They are very well, strong, very well, very well, with a lot of spirit, with a lot of strength, and we are going to see a thin, athletic president, he is doing exercises every day,” Maduro Guerra said in a video published on X by Telesur journalist Madelein García. The deputy also said that the First Lady, Cilia Flores, who was also captured last January, is “firm and alert.” Likewise, he said that the trial hearing scheduled for next March 26 will serve to “continue raising the truth of Venezuela and the truth of the innocence of Maduro and Cilia.” What accusations does Nicolás Maduro face? Nicolás Maduro is accused of four charges: three of conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism, import cocaine, and possess machine guns and destructive devices; and a fourth crime of possession of those weapons. Flores is accused of four other related charges: two of conspiracy to import cocaine, one of conspiracy to possess weapons, and another of possession of weapons. On Thursday, March 19, Maduro and Flores reiterated before the federal court in New York that they do not have the resources to finance their defense in the drug case and stated that they are willing to present financial evidence if the judge requests it, to reinforce their request to dismiss the charges. Lawyers Barry Pollack and Mark E. Donelly affirmed in a document sent to the judge, on behalf of their clients, that, according to the defense, the Prosecutor's Office recognizes the right of both to request that the Government of Venezuela pay for their defense. Additionally, they included sworn statements from Maduro and Flores in which they assure they cannot afford their lawyers and manifest their willingness to present financial evidence if the court requires it. So far, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), of the Department of the Treasury, which administers and imposes economic and commercial sanctions, has not authorized the Government of Venezuela to pay their lawyers, which they allege in a document sent to federal judge Alvin Hellerstein, interferes with the right of both to choose their own legal team. OFAC has imposed economic sanctions on Venezuela since 2015 that sought to pressure to provoke a political change, and the U.S. Government does not recognize Maduro as the legitimate president of Venezuela.
