The Daily Journal — The legal defense team representing Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, has expanded with the addition of attorney Anna Estevao before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Estevao has earned recognition in federal criminal law after serving on the defense team of rapper and music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs during his highly publicized seven-week trial in New York last year. She now joins the team led by Barry Pollack, the attorney known for representing Julian Assange in the WikiLeaks case.
According to CNN, Estevao brings extensive experience in high-profile litigation. During Combs’ trial, she played a prominent role, particularly in cross-examining key witnesses. The jury cleared Combs of the most serious racketeering and sex-trafficking charges and later sentenced him to 50 months in prison on prostitution-related transportation charges.
The criminal proceedings in New York have featured a continuous series of legal battles. Recently, the defense secured an important victory when Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein approved revised licenses from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), allowing the Venezuelan government to cover the legal expenses associated with the defense of Maduro and Flores.
However, the court also imposed a significant limitation on the defense strategy. Judge Hellerstein issued an order preventing Maduro’s attorneys from sharing case evidence with other defendants who remain at large, thereby restricting the circulation of confidential information provided by federal prosecutors.
With the legal fee issue resolved, both parties requested additional time to prepare their arguments. Prosecutors and defense attorneys jointly agreed to a 60-day pause before the next formal hearing in Manhattan federal court, which is currently scheduled for June 30.
With information from CNN.
