Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has added lawyer Anna Estevao to his defense team. Estevao previously represented Sean "Diddy" Combs, helping secure acquittals on top charges in his criminal trial. Maduro faces U.S. drug trafficking charges and has pleaded not guilty.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has bolstered his legal defense by adding Anna Estevao to his team. Estevao was part of the legal team that secured acquittals for hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs on sex trafficking and racketeering charges, though Combs was later found guilty on two lesser prostitution-related counts and is serving a 50-month prison sentence. Estevao's addition comes as Maduro prepares to fight U.S. drug trafficking charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty. The move follows the recent announcement that Maduro's existing Washington-based lawyer, Barry Pollack, joined the firm Harris Trzaskoma. Maduro is due to appear in federal court on June 30 for a hearing where pre-trial motions are expected to be discussed. Pollack has indicated he will challenge the legality of Maduro's "abduction" by U.S. military forces.
The addition of a lawyer with experience in high-profile cases like Sean "Diddy" Combs' suggests a strategic effort by Nicolas Maduro to mount a robust defense against serious U.S. charges.