Nicolás Maduro Hires Assange's Former Lawyer, Pleads Not Guilty in U.S. Criminal Case

Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, who pleaded not guilty on Monday to federal drug and narco-terrorism charges in Manhattan, has retained prominent U.S. criminal defense lawyer Barry Pollack to lead his defense.

Pollack filed a notice of appearance earlier on Monday in the Southern District of New York, formally joining Maduro's legal team, as reported by Bloomberg. By retaining Pollack, Maduro has turned to a lawyer known for representing clients in complex, high-profile international cases.

Pollack previously represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, overseeing his U.S. defense during years of extradition litigation and negotiations with federal prosecutors, a case that eventually concluded in 2024 with a plea agreement in which Assange admitted to a single Espionage Act-related offense and received a sentence of time served, ending a legal saga that began with his indictment during the first Trump administration.

Pollack practices at the boutique firm Harris St. Laurent & Wechsler LLP and has held leadership roles including president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

A superseding indictment unsealed on Jan. 3 accuses Maduro, his wife, and others of narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, as well as weapons offenses involving machine guns and destructive devices. Prosecutors allege the charges underpin the Trump administration's decision to detain and transport Maduro to New York.

Maduro's wife and co-defendant, Cilia Flores, also entered a not-guilty plea. She is represented by Mark Donnelly, a Houston-based former federal prosecutor who filed his appearance in the case. Donnelly previously worked at the U.S. Department of Justice and later advised the Texas legislature during the 2023 impeachment proceedings against the state's attorney general.

Pollack was present in court as both defendants denied the charges. His prior work also includes defending former Enron executive Michael Krautz, who was acquitted of fraud, and representing musician Prakazrel "Pras" Michel in a foreign-influence case. The proceedings are being heard in federal court in Manhattan.