Captured Venezuela President Maduro Faces Drug, Weapons Charges in New York

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro

Captured Venezuela President Maduro Faces Drug, Weapons Charges in New York

A newly unsealed United States Justice Department indictment has accused captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of leading what prosecutors described as a “corrupt and illegitimate government” sustained by a vast drug-trafficking and narco-terrorism network responsible for flooding the United States with thousands of tons of cocaine.

The dramatic US military operation in Venezuela that led to the arrest of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, early Saturday has now set the stage for a high-profile criminal trial in Manhattan federal court, marking one of the most extraordinary prosecutions of a sitting foreign leader in modern US history.

US Attorney General Pam Bondi said the couple would “soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” as details of the indictment were made public.

Charges Filed Against Maduro and Inner Circle

According to the indictment filed in the Southern District of New York, Maduro is charged alongside his wife, his son, and three other associates. The Venezuelan leader faces four major counts: narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.

‘Cocaine-Fueled Corruption’ at the Highest Level

US prosecutors allege that Maduro collaborated with some of the world’s most violent drug cartels, including the Sinaloa Cartel and the Tren de Aragua gang, providing them with protection, logistics, and law-enforcement cover in exchange for massive financial rewards.

The indictment claims that by 2020, as much as 250 tons of cocaine were trafficked annually through Venezuela using aircraft, clandestine airstrips, container ships, fishing vessels, and high-speed boats.

“Maduro allowed cocaine-fueled corruption to flourish for his own benefit, for members of his ruling regime, and for his family,” prosecutors alleged, adding that senior officials allegedly enriched themselves while violent drug traffickers operated with impunity.

Bribery, Kidnappings, and Killings Alleged

The US further accuses Maduro and his wife of ordering kidnappings, beatings, and murders against individuals who threatened or undermined their drug-trafficking operation. One allegation includes the killing of a local drug boss in Caracas.

Cilia Flores is accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to arrange meetings between major drug traffickers and senior Venezuelan anti-drug officials. Prosecutors say the arrangement ensured safe passage for cocaine-laden flights, with bribe payments allegedly flowing back to Maduro’s family.

The indictment also references Maduro’s nephews, who were previously convicted in the US for conspiring to traffic large quantities of cocaine using a Venezuelan airport’s presidential hangar. They were released in 2022 as part of a prisoner exchange.

US Says Capture Was a Law Enforcement Action

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine said the operation to capture Maduro was conducted at the request of the Department of Justice, framing it as a law-enforcement mission supported by the military.

Rubio described Maduro as “a fugitive of American justice” with a $50 million US reward on his head, insisting the operation was legally justified.

As Maduro prepares to face trial, the case is expected to test the limits of international law, extradition norms, and US foreign policy, while drawing intense global attention to Washington’s pursuit of accountability against foreign leaders accused of transnational crimes.

Captured Venezuela President Maduro Faces Drug, Weapons Charges in New York

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