Nicolas Maduro is set to appear once again before a US federal court today, about two and a half months later, where he is expected to argue that the US government is interfering with his ability to defend himself against charges related to narco-terrorism, and that the case should be dismissed.

The hearing is scheduled before federal judge Alvin Hellerstein, who had initially given time to Maduro’s lawyers and those of his wife, Cilia Flores, to review the evidence and determine the timeline of legal actions, as well as a possible trial date.

In an unexpected development, Maduro’s attorney, Barry Pollack, said last month that he may withdraw from the case if the US does not allow the Venezuelan government to cover the legal defense costs.

Maduro and his wife were arrested in early January from the presidential compound in Caracas during a surprise nighttime operation by US military and law enforcement forces, and were transferred to New York City to face US charges.

According to Pollack, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Treasury initially approved and then revoked a license allowing the Venezuelan government to pay the legal fees. Both Maduro and the Venezuelan government are under US sanctions, meaning special authorization is required for any payments to avoid violating regulations.

The defense argues that revoking the license violates Maduro’s constitutional right to defend himself, while Flores’s lawyer has aligned with the request to dismiss the case.

Prosecutors, however, claim that the initial license was an “administrative error” and that the couple is still allowed to use personal funds in Venezuela to cover their defense costs. However, as noted in a court filing, Treasury regulations prohibit the use of funds controlled by a sanctioned entity to pay lawyers for another individual who is also under sanctions.