Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has hired prominent Washington defense attorney Barry J. Pollack—best known for negotiating Julian Assange’s 2024 plea deal—to represent him in federal narco-terrorism charges, according to court filings.

Pollack, a partner at Harris St. Laurent & Wechsler LLP with more than three decades of experience in complex federal cases, filed his notice of appearance in the Southern District of New York ahead of Maduro’s arraignment before Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein. Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, is represented by Houston-based white-collar lawyer and former prosecutor Mark E. Donnelly.

Maduro, 63, and Flores were captured in a U.S. raid on Caracas on January 3, flown to New York, and detained at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center before being transferred under heavy security to the Moynihan Courthouse.

The superseding indictment (U.S. v. Maduro Moros et al., No. 11-cr-0205) accuses Maduro of leading a 25-year conspiracy known as the “Cartel of the Suns”, allegedly working with the Sinaloa Cartel, FARC, and Tren de Aragua to flood the U.S. with cocaine. He faces narco-terrorism, importation, and weapons charges that could carry a life sentence. Flores and their son “Nicolasito” face similar counts.

Legal experts expect Pollack to challenge the legality of Maduro’s capture, raise sovereign immunity arguments, and question international law violations. Pollack’s track record includes securing Assange’s release after a single Espionage Act plea and winning an acquittal for an Enron executive.

President Donald Trump hailed the operation as a success for “peace”, while announcing plans for temporary U.S. oversight of Venezuela’s oil sector. Meanwhile, interim leader Delcy Rodríguez has called for dialogue amid ongoing protests.