The United States has agreed to modify its sanctions on Venezuela to allow the South American country's government to pay the defense lawyers for ousted President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Celia Flores. This reversal by US officials allows them to use Venezuelan funds to defend themselves in a drug-trafficking case in New York.
A court filing showed on Friday that the U.S. is backing off a restriction that had threatened to derail the proceedings. Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York are involved in the case.
Defense lawyers had previously asked for the case to be thrown out, claiming that Maduro's rights were violated following a US abduction.