US EditionWhat the Noriega case can tell us about Maduro’s upcoming legal battle
U.S. prosecutors may rely on Noriega precedent and a 1989 Justice Department memo to counter Maduro's immunity claims in a landmark drug-smuggling case.
- On Monday, deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro appears in a New York courtroom after an indictment was unsealed Saturday charging him and five co-defendants with cocaine shipments, echoing Manuel Noriega's case.
- Decades-Old rulings left U.S. federal courts unwilling to consider the legality of Noriega's forcible transfer from Panama, as his defense argued immunity and illegal invasion claims.
- A 1989 OLC memo by William Barr argued presidents have authority for forcible abductions abroad, and Barr later oversaw Maduro's indictment as attorney general.
- Because the State Department treats Nicolás Maduro as a fugitive, U.S. courts are poised to proceed despite sanctions complicating his defense and counsel hiring under U.S. Treasury Department rules.
- Amid questions about immunity, courts could reassess precedent as Maduro claims three popular mandates, recognized by China, Russia and Egypt for his 2024 reelection, while President Donald Trump's operation raises constitutional concerns without Congress authorization.
126 Articles
126 Articles
Marco Mendicino: How will the U.S. courts judge Maduro? Look to the precedent of Noriega
Former federal prosecutor Marco Mendicino examines the legal challenges facing Nicolas Maduro following his dramatic arrest by U.S. special forces. He argues why Maduro's anticipated defences are unlikely to succeed in U.S. courts.
Associated Press News
Maduro’s case will revive a legal debate over immunity for foreign leaders tested in Noriega trial
When Nicolás Maduro appears in a New York courtroom to face U.S. drug charges, he'll be following follow a path taken Panama's Manuel Noriega, another strongman who was toppled by American forces.
What the Noriega case can tell us about Maduro’s upcoming legal battle
Over three decades ago, the US government executed the shocking arrest of the leader of a foreign country: Panama’s Manuel Noriega. The dictator’s case may prove to be a guide for the prosecutors, defense attorneys and judges now involved in the case against Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro.
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