'Not going to dismiss': Judge refuses to drop illegal trade charges against Maduro and wife

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: A US federal judge has rejected an attempt to dismiss illegal trade charges against Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, clearing the way for the high-profile case to proceed in New York.

The ruling came on Thursday, March 26, during a tense courtroom hearing where defense lawyers also argued that they were being unfairly blocked from accessing funds needed to fight the charges, a claim the court was not ready to accept.

Judge rejects request to dismiss charges

During the hearing, US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein made his stance clear, bluntly stating, “I’m not going to dismiss the case,” after defense attorney Barry Pollack pushed for the indictment to be thrown out.

Pollack argued that the US government was preventing Maduro from accessing Venezuelan state funds to pay for his legal defense.

“He is entitled to use those resources to defend himself,” Pollack told the court.

Prosecutors, however, strongly opposed that position.

Assistant US Attorney Kyle Wirshba countered, “The defendants have a right to defend themselves with money that is lawfully theirs. They do not have the ability to access third-party funds.”

Judge Hellerstein did not immediately rule on whether Maduro would be allowed to tap into Venezuelan government funds but indicated the trial itself would move ahead.

Inside the courtroom, Maduro and Flores appeared attentive, seated apart with their legal teams and wearing headsets to follow the proceedings in Spanish. 

Hearing continues amid protests

The hearing drew significant attention outside the courthouse in lower Manhattan, where both supporters and critics gathered under heavy security.

Demonstrators carried signs with sharply opposing messages reflecting the deep divisions surrounding the case.

Prosecutors have also requested a strict protective order to prevent Maduro and his wife from sharing evidence with co-defendants who remain at large.

They argued that such access could pose "an unacceptable risk" to witnesses and potentially compromise ongoing investigations.

Maduro and Flores were captured during a night-time US operation in Caracas on January 3 and flown to New York, where they were formally charged days later. Both have pleaded not guilty.

According to federal prosecutors, Maduro and his associates spent years working with violent networks to funnel illegal material into the United States.

As the legal battle unfolds, the judge’s refusal to dismiss the case ensures that what could become one of the most closely watched international criminal trials in recent years will now move forward.