Overview
- Attorney General Pamela Bondi said the Southern District of New York has formally charged Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores with narco‑terrorism conspiracy, cocaine‑importation conspiracy, possession of machineguns and destructive devices, and a related conspiracy.
- U.S. forces captured the Venezuelan leader and his wife overnight in Venezuela, after which they were flown to New York; images show them escorted by federal agents before transfer to a federal detention facility in Brooklyn.
- The case revives and updates a 2020 grand jury indictment, with prosecutors alleging Maduro helped lead or protect the so‑called Cartel de los Soles and worked with armed groups such as the FARC to traffic cocaine toward the United States.
- Initial court appearances are expected in the coming days in Manhattan, as international fallout grows, including Mexico’s condemnation of the operation and a UN Security Council meeting set for Monday.
- Media reports indicate additional defendants were named in related filings, including Maduro’s son Nicolás Ernesto Maduro Guerra, and the charges carry potential penalties ranging from decades in prison to life under U.S. federal law.