Hours after President Donald Trump confirmed that U.S. special forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife during a large-scale military operation in Caracas, the U.S. attorney general has said that Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy and other allegations.
In a post on X, Attorney General Pamela Bondi said that Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York. She wrote, “Nicolas Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States. They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.”
Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York. Nicolas Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess…
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) January 3, 2026
The attorney general thanked President Donald Trump for “for having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American People.” She said, “and a huge thank you to our brave military who conducted the incredible and highly successful mission to capture these two alleged international narco traffickers.”
In a dramatic and quick escalation of tensions, US forces invaded Venezuela’s capital and captured President Maduro along with his wife. The couple was flown out of the country and is set to face federal charges in the Southern District of New York, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess such weapons.
The operation, which unfolded amid reports of multiple explosions rocking the Venezuelan capital, was confirmed by President Donald Trump on Truth Social.
Maduro, who was last seen on state television meeting with a government minister on Friday, is accused by the US of leading the Cartel de Los Soles, a narco-terrorist organization allegedly embedded within Venezuela’s military and government.
Charges against the Venezuelan president were first filed in March 2020 during Trump’s first term, when Maduro and over a dozen Venezuelan officials were accused of narco-terrorism, corruption, and drug trafficking. At that time, the U.S. offered a $15 million bounty for Maduro’s capture, later increased amid escalating concerns over Venezuelan cocaine flooding American streets. Officials claim Maduro’s regime conspired with Colombia’s FARC rebels to traffic narcotics, using proceeds to fund political campaigns and maintain power.
Cilia
Flores also faces similar charges tied to her family’s alleged involvement in money laundering and drug operations. Notably, she has rejected the title ‘first lady’, and insists on being called “Primera Combatiente” (First Combatant). The former lawyer was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2018 on charges of being a “key figure” in what they alleged was a broader corruption network involving Venezuela’s state institutions.
