US Charges Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro With Narco-Terrorism

US Charges Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro With Narco-Terrorism

The United States Department of Justice has formally charged Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro with narco-terrorism, cocaine trafficking, and illegal possession of machineguns and destructive devices against the United States, following his reported arrest in a military-backed operation ordered by US President Donald Trump.

In a statement posted on X on Saturday, US Attorney-General Pamela Bondi announced that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been indicted in the Southern District of New York. Bondi said the suspects would be brought to the United States to face trial, praising President Trump for insisting on accountability and commending US forces involved in the operation.

Earlier, President Trump disclosed on his Truth Social account that US forces had captured Maduro and removed him from Venezuela after what he described as a large-scale US strike.

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“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolás Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country,” Trump wrote, adding that the mission was conducted alongside US law enforcement agencies.

Trump’s announcement followed reports of multiple explosions in Caracas and other parts of Venezuela in the early hours of Saturday. CNN reported that several blasts were heard around 1:50 a.m. local time, accompanied by power outages and the sound of aircraft overhead.

Reacting, the Venezuelan government accused the United States of carrying out a “grave military aggression” against Caracas and the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira. Authorities said President Maduro had signed a state of emergency declaration and ordered the activation of national defence plans.

The government also announced plans to file complaints before the United Nations Security Council and other international bodies, seeking global condemnation of the alleged attack.

The development comes amid a recent increase in US military presence in the Caribbean, part of Washington’s broader efforts targeting alleged drug trafficking networks linked to Venezuela.

US Charges Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro With Narco-Terrorism