A U.S. federal judge raised concerns on Thursday about whether sanctions preventing Venezuela from funding the legal defense of Nicolás Maduro could violate his constitutional rights, though he did not dismiss the drug-trafficking charges against the former leader.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, appeared in a Manhattan courtroom wearing prison uniforms following their capture and transfer to New York City earlier this year.
The couple have pleaded not guilty to charges including narcoterrorism conspiracy and remain in custody in Brooklyn awaiting trial. Their legal team argues that U.S. sanctions blocking Venezuelan state funds prevent them from hiring counsel of their choice, infringing upon their Sixth Amendment rights. Prosecutors, however, contend the sanctions serve legitimate national security interests.
U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein expressed skepticism toward the government’s position, noting that Maduro no longer poses a national security threat and emphasising the importance of the right to legal representation.
The case follows a dramatic U.S. special forces raid in Caracas that resulted in Maduro’s arrest. Adding to the tension, Donald Trump indicated that further charges may be forthcoming. The prosecution relies in part on a rarely tested narcoterrorism statute, which has seen limited success in past trials.
Maduro has dismissed the charges as politically motivated, claiming they mask U.S. ambitions over Venezuela’s oil resources. Meanwhile, shifting leadership in Caracas has led to a slight thaw in U.S.-Venezuela relations.
Israel said it had killed Alireza Tangsiri, the Commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard...
A U.S. federal judge raised concerns on Thursday about whether sanctions preventing Venezuela from funding the legal ...
Iran has alerted the International Criminal Court (ICC) to the killing of civilians, medical staff and aid workers in...
Pakistan has resumed military operations against Afghanistan after a brief Eid ceasefire, officials said on Thursd...
Israel said it had killed Iranian Navy Commander Alireza Tangsiri in an a...
Israel said it had killed Alireza Tangsiri, the Commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)’s Navy, on Thursday, as confict in the Middle East continued.
Iran has alerted the International Criminal Court (ICC) to the killing of civilians, medical staff and aid workers in U.S.–Israeli attacks, the vice-president of the Iranian Red Crescent Society has said.
Pakistan has resumed military operations against Afghanistan after a brief Eid ceasefire, officials said on Thursday, dampening hopes of a lasting truce following the worst cross-border fighting in years.
Israel said it had killed Iranian Navy Commander Alireza Tangsiri in an air strike on Thursday (26 March), as multiple reports emerged of Tehran allowing some ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
Both the United States and Iran are giving conflicting messages about trying to end the conflict in the Middle East as the rest of the world battle with the consequences of the war. Welcome to AnewZ's coverage of the tensions in the Middle East.
Israel said it had killed Alireza Tangsiri, the Commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)’s Navy, on Thursday, as confict in the Middle East continued.
A drone has flown into Estonian airspace from Russia. It happened early on Wednesday morning and slammed into a chimney at a local power station, the Baltic country's Internal Security Service told public broadcaster ERR.
Iran has rejected a U.S. proposal to end the war, insisting any ceasefire will occur only on its own terms and timeline, according to a senior political-security official speaking to state-run Press TV on Wednesday.
Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s far-right National Rally (RN), said on Wednesday that the U.S. had “clearly made a mistake” in launching strikes on Iran, arguing Washington misjudged the resilience of the Iranian regime.
The UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) met in Finland on Thursday (26 March) to discuss the Russia–Ukraine war, North Atlantic security and the coalition’s future.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has introduced a policy requiring athletes to undergo a one-off gene test to compete in female Olympic events, limiting eligibility to biological women.
Northern European countries must significantly boost military drone production to help Ukraine defeat Russia, Latvia’s Prime Minister has said, warning that victory would be “impossible” without greater support.
Russia has welcomed remarks by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggesting the U.S. is making security guarantees conditional on Kyiv relinquishing control of the Donbas region.
An industrial area near one of Russia's biggest oil refineries was damaged in a Ukrainian drone attack, a Russian official said on Thursday.
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