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U.S. Announces New York Indictment of Maduro After Strike as Capture Claim Is Disputed

The case revives narco‑terrorism and drug charges first filed in Manhattan in 2020.

Overview

  • Attorney General Pamela Bondi said Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores have been indicted in the Southern District of New York on narco‑terrorism, cocaine importation, and weapons charges, with prosecution to proceed in U.S. courts.
  • President Donald Trump said a large‑scale operation in Venezuela resulted in the seizure of Maduro and his wife and that they were flown out of the country, as explosions and fires were reported in Caracas.
  • Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said officials do not know the couple’s whereabouts and demanded proof of life, and no independent confirmation of custody has been released.
  • U.S. media reports, citing people familiar with the operation, said the CIA identified Maduro’s location and Army Delta Force executed the capture, with sources indicating he was being flown to New York.
  • Russia condemned the strikes as an act of armed aggression and called for UN action, while some U.S. lawmakers sought legal briefings as Sen. Mike Lee relayed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio expects no further military action.