Washington / Caracas /The Government of Venezuela and the legal team of part of the Venezuelan opposition indicated before a court in New York that they are coordinating the legal representation of the country in the United States.
Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn agreed this Monday to pause one of the cases involving Venezuelan assets in the United States while it is decided which law firm will represent the country in court.
Since Washington recognized, in 2019, part of the Venezuelan opposition as the “legitimate” government of Venezuela, this political group controls Venezuelan assets in the United States and has assumed the legal representation of the country before Justice.
The Government of President Donald Trump changed its position after the capture of Nicolás Maduro last January and recognized Delcy Rodríguez, former vice president, as the new leader in charge of Venezuela.
This decision opens a period of uncertainty about who will assume not only the legal defense of Venezuela in the United States.
This decision opens a period of uncertainty about who will assume not only the legal defense of Venezuela in the United States – which affects dozens of creditors among funds holding sovereign debt in defaultcompanies with arbitration awards and victims with sentences for terrorism – but also control of Citgo, a subsidiary refinery of the state-owned Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA).
Netburn, the judge of the Southern District of New York, indicated in mid-March that the court should resolve this question of which “lawyers are authorized” to represent Venezuelan entities and asked the US Government to intervene.
The Department of Justice responded with a letter in which it stated that Washington has “normalized” relations with Venezuela under the leadership of Delcy Rodríguez, whom it recognizes as the “only head of state” with the capacity to “act on behalf of Venezuela.”
In reaction, opposition lawyers asked in a letter dated last Friday for a 45-day suspension of proceedings to “allow clients sufficient time to appoint permanent attorneys,” while “ensuring the continuity, without interruption, of the representation of their interests and the protection of their assets in court.”
Citgo, an oil refiner and marketer based in Houston (Texas) is the main asset of PDVSA and the Venezuelan state abroad.
As Venezuela’s most valuable asset in US jurisdiction, Citgo is at the center of several enforcement proceedings aimed at collecting arbitration awards and other debts of the Venezuelan State, including the case being pursued in New York.
The US Treasury Department, however, has so far kept Citgo protected from creditors by not issuing licenses authorizing sales transactions for the company.
On the other hand, the general secretary of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (Psuv), Diosdado Cabello, said this Monday that Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, will be “sooner rather than later” back in their country, after they were captured a little over three months ago by United States troops in an attack in Caracas.
“We send greetings and our word of encouragement to our colleague Nicolás Maduro Moros, constitutional president, and Cilia Flores. All our respect and our affection towards them,” said the also Minister of the Interior in statements broadcast by the state channel Venezolana de Televisión (VTV).
After less than a minute of applause from officials, the Chavista leader added: “Sooner rather than later we will have them back here with their people, with their party, with their homeland.”
“Sooner rather than later we will have them back here with their people, with their party, with their homeland”
The PSUV announced a national mobilization for peace in Venezuela for this Thursday, the same day that workers and students called in Caracas for a protest towards the Miraflores Palace, headquarters of the Executive, to demand salary improvements.
The ruling party anticipated without giving details that Chavismo is preparing to remember April 11, 12 and 13, 2002, when there was a failed coup against the then president Hugo Chávez (1999-2013).
Maduro and his wife, detained since January 3 of this year in the United States, called last weekend in X for unity, dialogue and reconciliation in the South American country.
The presidential couple faced their second hearing in March and the federal judge in charge ruled out dismissing the drug trafficking case for which they are detained.
Maduro faces four charges, including conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism and importation of cocaine. Flores, for her part, is accused of crimes related to drug trafficking conspiracy and weapons possession.
The second hearing of both coincided with the arrival in Washington of a delegation sent by the president in charge, Delcy Rodríguez, to strengthen ties with the Donald Trump Administration and resume the diplomatic presence in the US capital.
Yesterday, a total of 320 migrants returned to Venezuela on a flight from Arizona, United States, as part of the Great Mission Vuelta a la Patria, the government program that manages returns to the South American country.
In a publication on Instagram, the Ministry of the Interior and Justice reported that 278 men, 33 women, as well as nine minors arrived.
In a publication on Instagram, the Ministry of the Interior and Justice reported that 278 men, 33 women, as well as nine minors arrived on a flight that landed at the Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, which serves Caracas.
The State portfolio indicated that together with the Ministry of Health they delivered medicines free of charge to all Venezuelans who returned to their country.
In addition, he said that the security bodies offered “comprehensive care” to the migrants, without offering further details.
This is flight number 130 since Caracas and Washington signed an immigration agreement for the repatriation of migrants in January of last year, and which was maintained even amid tensions over the US military deployment in the Caribbean Sea. Last Wednesday, a group of 141 migrants returned to Venezuela on a flight from the city of Opa-locka, Florida, United States.
According to official figures, more than 20,000 migrants have returned to Venezuela since February 2025 on repatriation flights.
