New York (AFP) — Lawyers for the ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro are expected to push for the dismissal of his drug trafficking charges when he appears in a New York court Thursday.

The Manhattan hearing comes as Washington cautiously warms ties with Caracas, with the question of who will pay the legal fees of the former autocrat and his wife expected to take center stage.

Venezuela’s government is seeking to pay Maduro’s legal fees but because of Washington’s sanctions on the oil-rich south American nation, Maduro’s lawyer Barry Pollack must obtain a US government license that has not been issued.

Pollack argued in a court submission that the license requirement violated Maduro’s constitutional right to legal representation, and demanded the case be thrown out on procedural grounds.