Overview
- Both defendants pleaded not guilty in Manhattan to SDNY charges that include narco‑terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine and possession of machine guns.
- U.S. officials told lawmakers the couple hit their heads while trying to evade capture; Flores’ lawyer requested medical evaluations for suspected rib injuries, and briefers characterized her head wound as minor.
- The pair are being held at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, where high‑profile inmates are typically segregated for security and where lawyers have long criticized conditions.
- U.S. authorities say they have seized more than $700 million in assets tied to the alleged network, including a luxury property in the Dominican Republic and holdings in Florida.
- Officials described a firefight during the raid and briefed Congress on strategy that treats the operation as law enforcement, with Delcy Rodríguez acting as Venezuela’s leader as the regime remains in place.