The United States has agreed to ease certain sanctions on Venezuela in order to allow the country’s government to cover the legal fees for former president Nicolás Maduro’s defense in a U.S. court, Al Jazeera reported on Saturday. The decision marks the latest development in a closely watched trial that has raised significant legal and diplomatic questions.

Maduro’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, had previously asked Manhattan-based U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein to dismiss the case, arguing that Maduro’s rights were violated during his capture. In a court filing, U.S. Department of Justice lawyers agreed to modify sanctions so that the Venezuelan government could pay for Maduro’s defense counsel.

DOJ lawyers stated in the filing that the modification renders the defense’s motion to dismiss the case “moot.” However, the legal controversy surrounding the proceedings continues. Critics have condemned the trial as fundamentally illegitimate, pointing to the extraordinary U.S. military operation that resulted in Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, being taken into custody from Venezuela. Legal experts have described the raid as a blatant violation of international law.

The Trump administration has maintained that the operation was a law enforcement action supported by the military. Washington has argued that it does not recognize Maduro as the legitimate leader of Venezuela following several contested elections.

The trial has raised a series of legal questions regarding Maduro’s status as a former head of state and the legality of how he was taken into U.S. custody. The case is being closely watched internationally, with many observers viewing it as not only a matter of Maduro’s individual fate but also a broader test of international law and principles of national sovereignty.

Source: Al Jazeera, AP News