Trump: More charges coming for ex-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, as defense argues for more money

President Donald Trump said Thursday that additional "cases" would be brought against ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as the lawyer for the former South American strongman haggled with prosecutors over how he would pay for his legal defense.

The deposed leader, who was captured by U.S. troops in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas along with his wife during a quick-strike military intervention on Jan. 3, appeared in Manhattan federal court for the second time Thursday morning to fight narco-terrorism, drug-smuggling conspiracy and gun charges.

Moments before the hearing, Trump announced from the White House that the government would likely bring additional charges against Maduro.

“[Maduro] was a major purveyor of drugs coming into this country and he’s now been captured," the president said during a news briefing. "He will, I guess, be given a fair trial, but I would imagine there would be other trials coming." Trump said Maduro has been charged "just in a fraction for the things he’s done. Other cases are probably going to be brought."

Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, who has also been charged in the drug conspiracy case, walked into the courtroom wearing tan prison scrubs and leg shackles, looking slightly haggard after three months spent in Brooklyn’s beleaguered federal lockup, the Metropolitan Detention Center.

Barry Pollack, Maduro’s lawyer, accused federal prosecutors of undermining his ability to fight the case by blocking Venezuelan funds to pay for the former leader's legal defense.

He called on District Court Judge Alvin Hellerstein to order the government to allow the funds to go through or dismiss the charges against his client.

"The interference by the United States government with the payment of fees by the government of Venezuela and costs associated with activities necessary to the defense will impede Mr. Maduro from having a full and fair defense against the charges," Pollack said in his motion to dismiss.

He added in his motion, "Any trial that proceeds under these circumstances will be constitutionally defective and cannot result in a verdict that will withstand later challenge."

Maduro, whose 2024 election to power has not been recognized by more than 50 countries, is accused of corrupting the country's "once-legitimate institutions to import tons of cocaine into the United States," according to the federal complaint.

As far back as 1999, prosecutors said that Maduro supported the brutal and far-reaching network run by the Sinaloa drug cartel, the FARC and Tren de Aragua to smuggle an estimated 200 to 250 tons of cocaine through Venezuela.

Drug money corrupted government and military personnel from the lowest ranks to the upper echelons of power, according to the charges.

Because of the pervasive culture of corruption in the country, President Barack Obama in 2014 signed the Venezuela Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Act. Under the law, Maduro and his other co-defendants were deemed to be "Specially Designated Nationals" and their bank accounts were blocked in the United States. Additionally, under the powers granted under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, Trump signed an executive order freezing the former leader's assets and barring anyone in the United States from engaging in transactions with him.

Prosecutors maintain that Maduro cannot tap into the Venezuelan funds because they have been tainted by the leader’s drug-smuggling operation.

Pollack argued that the federal Office of Foreign Asset Control can, however, grant a license on an individual basis, allowing an exception.

The lawyer said that without the money, he would have to resign from the case, leaving Maduro to be defended by a publicly funded attorney.

Federal prosecutor Kyle Wirshba argued that public defenders have covered complex cases before and could handle the deposed leader’s case as well.

Pollack argued that Maduro’s defense would involve investigations in Colombia, Venezuela and other countries.

"This case is beyond the normal," Hellerstein said. "And it would tax [the public defenders] office beyond their ability to defend other clients."

The judge added that "things have changed in Venezuela," citing the bottleneck in world oil shipments and the country’s vast oil reserves. Hellerstein said that the country "presents no further national security threat" after Maduro has been removed.

Pollack pointed out that Venezuela has had $18 billion in oil sales since his client’s arrest.

"Clearly, the funds are available," he said.

The defense lawyer said that the Supreme Court had ruled that a defendant does not just have the right to counsel, but their preferred counsel when the funds are available.

The only choices in this case, he said, would be to release the money or dismiss the charges.

"I’m not going to dismiss the case," the judge said, prompting a small outburst of laughter in the courtroom.

Maduro and his wife, who have been held separately during their incarceration, barely looked at each other during the hourlong hearing, but took copious notes throughout.

Hellerstein said that he would file a written rule on the legal funds.

"This case is unique," he said. "It takes some time."

No return date was set for the case.