Who is Barry Pollack? Meet the lawyer defending President Nicolás Maduro

Maduro pleads not guilty to drug, gun charges

Nicolás Maduro, the ousted Venezuelan leader indicted on major drug trafficking and weapons charges, appeared in a federal court in New York on Monday. Maduro pleaded not guilty to all four federal charges. His wife also pleaded not guilty. LiveNOW's Mike Pache discussed the Maduro's court appearance with former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani.

Barry Pollack, the lawyer who represented Julian Assange, will be defending Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Maduro faces narco-terrorism charges that the Trump administration used to justify removing him from power. 

Maduro pleaded not guilty on Monday. 

What they're saying:

"I was captured," Maduro said in Spanish as translated by a courtroom reporter before being cut off by the judge. Asked later for his plea to the charges, he stated: "I’m innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the president of my country."

Who is Barry Pollack?

Dig deeper:

Pollack is a partner at the Harris St. Laurent & Wechsler law firm and is a fellow in the American Board of Criminal Lawyers. 

His most notable case was negotiating the release of Julian Assange, the man who faced U.S. Espionage Act charges for the mass release of secret U.S. documents on WikiLeaks.

One of his career highlights also included getting a former Enron Corp. executive acquitted on fraud charges. 

On Monday, Pollack said Maduro was "head of a sovereign state and entitled to the privilege" that the status ensures. He also said the defense would raise "questions about the legality of his military abduction."

FILE - Lawyer Barry Pollack speaks during a press conference at East Hotel on June 26, 2024 in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)

US captures President Nicolás Maduro

The backstory:

The U.S. seized Maduro and his wife in a military operation early Saturday, capturing them in their home on a military base. President Donald Trump said Saturday the U.S. would "run" Venezuela temporarily and reiterated Sunday night that "we’re in charge" and told reporters on Air Force One that "we’re going to run it, fix it."

A 25-page indictment accuses Maduro and others of working with drug cartels to facilitate the shipment of thousands of tons of cocaine into the U.S. They could face life in prison if convicted.

Among other things, the indictment accuses Maduro and his wife of ordering kidnappings, beatings and murders of those who owed them drug money or undermined their drug trafficking operation. That included a local drug boss’ killing in Caracas, the indictment said.

Local perspective:

Maduro’s son and Venezuelan congressman Nicolás Maduro Guerra warned on Monday that his father’s capture could set a dangerous precedent globally and demanded that his parents be returned.

"If we normalize the kidnapping of a head of state, no country is safe. Today it’s Venezuela. Tomorrow it could be any nation that refuses to submit. This is not a regional problem. It is a direct threat to global political stability," Maduro Guerra said.