Trending:US-Venezuela tensionsJD Vance house attackBangladesh cricket rowDeepinder GoyalAttacks on Hindus in BangladeshCritics Choice AwardsWho is Barry Pollack, the lawyer defending Nicolas Maduro in the US courtroom?FP Explainers • January 6, 2026, 11:03:57 ISTWhatsapp Facebook TwitterAs Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro faces a historic US prosecution following his capture in Caracas, veteran American lawyer Barry J Pollack, leading his defence, is in the spotlight. From representing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to handling national security cases, Pollack now stands at another cross-border legal battleAdvertisementSubscribe Join Us+ Follow us On GoogleChoose Firstpost on GoogleVenezuela's captured President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores attend their arraignment with defence lawyers Barry Pollack and Mark Donnelly to face US federal charges including narco-terrorism, conspiracy, drug trafficking, money laundering and others, at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in Manhattan, New York City, US, January 5, 2026 in this courtroom sketch. ReutersBarry J Pollack, an American defence attorney is representing Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro as the former president faces federal charges in Manhattan. Maduro’s transfer to United States custody following a surprise military operation in Caracas has triggered diplomatic fallout across the globe. Pollack, a seasoned criminal defence lawyer has a long track record of representing defendants in complex, high-stakes cases involving national security, classified information, and alleged abuses of state power. How Maduro’s courtroom debut wentMaduro appeared in federal court in Manhattan on Monday (January 5, 2026), marking his first appearance before a US judge since being seized from his residence in Caracas two days earlier. The former Venezuelan leader, aged 63, entered the courtroom under heavy security, having been transported from a Brooklyn detention facility by helicopter and then driven in an armoured vehicle to the courthouse. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADHe and his wife, Cilia Flores, were brought into the courtroom shortly before noon, both wearing jail-issued clothing and leg restraints, and both using headsets to follow the proceedings through a Spanish interpreter. More from Explainers The story of Nicolas Maduro: From bus driver to strongman to ‘narco-terrorist’ US-Venezuela Tensions Live Updates: Gunfire reported near president's palace in Caracas after Maduro appears in US courtFrom the outset, Maduro used the hearing to contest the legitimacy of his arrest and detention. Addressing the court through a translator, he declared, “I was captured,” before later stating his formal plea.
