After his highly publicized capture by U.S. forces over the weekend, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro will be represented in court by defense attorney Barry Pollack, known for his work on behalf of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
Pollack filed a notice of appearance on Monday in the Southern District of New York, formally becoming counsel for Maduro as the Venezuelan leader faces U.S. allegations tied to drug trafficking and related crimes. He appeared in court the same day Maduro pleaded not guilty, according to multiple reports covering the arraignment and initial proceedings.
A partner at Harris St. Laurent & Wechsler LLP, a Washington-based firm that describes Pollack as a veteran trial lawyer with extensive experience in high-stakes criminal and investigative matters, including representing high-ranking officials.
Maduro's U.S. court appearance on Monday came after a dramatic U.S. military operation that involved missile strikes on various sites in Caracas and the capture of Maduro and his wife and co-defendant Cilia Flores, who appeared before U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein in Manhattan to face charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation, and weapons offenses tied to alleged state-sponsored drug trafficking networks that supplied cocaine into the United States, alongside other corruption and violence allegations.
The move to represent the Venezuelan president drew significant attention due to his recent role in the legal saga of Assange, whose release in 2024 followed a negotiated plea deal with U.S. prosecutors after years of litigation spanning multiple countries. Pollack's law firm has publicly credited him with leading negotiations that secured Assange's freedom under that agreement.
At the arraignment, the Venezuelan leader rejected the charges. "I'm innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the president of my country," he said, asserting that his removal and transportation to the United States were unlawful. He also insisted he had been "captured" in an operation he termed a kidnapping by U.S. personnel.
However, because the U.S. has not recognized his legitimacy as president since 2019, citing the alleged illegitimacy of his election, Maduro does not enjoy legal immunity as a head of state and can be tried in federal court. Flores also pleaded not guilty to all counts against her.
Both defendants remain in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, and neither sought bail at the hearing. The next scheduled court date is set for March 17; however, Pollack's strategy in the Maduro case has not been made public.
