Criminal lawyer Rick Diaz explained why the Treasury Department’s sanctions, through OFAC, block any possibility of the Venezuelan regime paying for Nicolás Maduro‘s legal defense. As detailed, inclusion in the so-called “Clinton list” does not require a prior trial: it is enough for a federal agency to send a preliminary report for the person to be sanctioned “without due process or the right to the Sixth Amendment at that stage.”
Díaz pointed out that once the sanctions are activated, the sanctioned person automatically enters the international financial alert system, which implies the immediate closure of accounts, the impossibility of using cards, making transfers or making payments to or from the United States. “All the banks that do business with the US block that person almost immediately,” he explained, making it clear that he also cannot pay legal fees without a special license.
The criminal lawyer stressed that these OFAC licenses “are not a right, they are a privilege” and can be revoked at any time, even after having been granted. He recalled that constitutional law does not guarantee choosing a private lawyer when there are sanctions in force: “The State provides a public defender, as is the case with thousands of defendants who cannot afford private lawyers.”
Finally, Díaz warned that any attempt to raise funds — including a GoFundMe or third-party transfers — is illegal and exposes those who send money to fines of up to $1 million and federal criminal charges. “Anyone who transfers money gets into serious trouble with the Treasury Department,” he said, highlighting that OFAC sanctions not only isolate the sanctioned person, but also anyone who tries to help them.
Access the full interview on YouTube: TVV Internacional or through our app.
Download your TVV application in the link in bio!
