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