Maduro’s Legal Team Is Still Up in the Air a Week After Arrest

Nicolas Maduro arrives at the Wall Street heliport ahead of his appearance in federal court in New York on Jan. 5.

Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg

While the world has been consumed by the geopolitical ramifications of the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a struggle is playing out over who will represent the ousted leader in his criminal case in New York.

When Maduro and his wife pleaded not guilty in the narco-terrorism case during a brief court appearance Monday, he was represented by Barry PollackBloomberg Terminal, a veteran Washington defense lawyer whose former clients include WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.