The United States has opposed a request by former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, to dismiss their U.S. criminal case against the government for using Venezuelan government funds for their defense. The government argues that the government improperly prevented them from using personal funds, including jointly held funds, to pay their legal fees, but not money controlled by a separately sanctioned Venezuelan government entity. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OPAF) has only granted the defendants permission to use their personal funds to pay legal fees. The pair were charged with conspiracy to import cocaine and possession of machine guns and destructive devices. They have pleaded not guilty to all charges.