Overview
- Bondi announced on X that Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores are charged in the Southern District of New York with narco‑terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons offenses.
- President Donald Trump said a large‑scale U.S. operation in Venezuela led to their capture, and officials publicly credited U.S. forces for the mission.
- The action builds on a March 2020 grand jury indictment that had already targeted Maduro, with U.S. officials linking him to the so‑called Cartel de los Soles.
- Reporting notes the counts could carry sentences from 20 years to life in U.S. federal prison if convictions are secured.
- The Justice Department has not released details on detention or court timing, and Bondi pledged to advance the prosecution without concessions.