Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro, Wife Cilia Flores To Face Trial In US, Indicted In New York's Southern District

(MENAFN- Live Mint) US Attorney General Pamela Bondi on Friday (January 3) said Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores have been indicted in the Southern District of New York, accusing the pair of serious drug- and weapons-related crimes against the United States.

In a post on X, Bondi said the indictments mark a major step in holding the Venezuelan leadership accountable for alleged narco-terrorism activities.

Charges detailed

According to Bondi, Maduro faces multiple charges, including Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States.

“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,” Bondi said.

'Full wrath of American justice'

Bondi said both Maduro and Flores would be prosecuted in US courts following what she described as a successful military operation.

“They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” she said.

Praise for Trump, US military

The attorney general credited former US President Donald Trump for pushing for accountability and praised the military for carrying out the operation.

“On behalf of the entire U.S. DOJ, I would like to thank President Trump for having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American People,” Bondi said, adding,“A huge thank you to our brave military who conducted the incredible and highly successful mission to capture these two alleged international narco traffickers.”

US launches large-scale strike on Venezuela

The United States carried out a“large-scale strike” on Venezuela early Saturday, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores and flying them out of the country, US officials said, in a dramatic overnight military operation announced by President Donald Trump on social media.

Trump revealed the action hours after the attack, describing it as a joint operation with US law enforcement. He said further details would follow and announced a news conference later in the day.

Legal authority unclear

The legal basis for the US strike - and whether Trump consulted Congress beforehand - was not immediately clear.

The unprecedented action, which removed a sitting head of state, echoed the 1990 US invasion of Panama that led to the capture of leader Manuel Antonio Noriega, exactly 36 years ago.

Trump announces operation

Trump announced the development on Truth Social shortly after 4:30 a.m. ET (0930 GMT), saying Maduro and his wife had been“captured and flown out of the country.”

“This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. law enforcement,” Trump wrote, adding that the strike had been carried out“successfully.”

Explosions reported in Caracas

At least seven explosions were reported in Caracas in the early hours of Saturday, sending residents rushing into the streets. The apparent attack lasted less than 30 minutes, and it was not immediately clear whether there were casualties.

US officials: 'The tyrant is gone'

US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau described the seizure of Maduro as“a new dawn for Venezuela,” saying“the tyrant is gone.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio reposted earlier statements questioning Maduro's legitimacy, while Senator Mike Lee said Rubio told him Maduro had been arrested by US personnel to stand trial in the United States.

Venezuela demands proof of life

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said the government did not know the whereabouts of Maduro and Flores and demanded proof they were alive.

“We demand proof of life,” Rodríguez said.

Opposition declines comment

Spokespeople for Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado declined to comment on the US operation. Machado was last seen publicly last month after emerging from nearly a year in hiding to travel to Norway, where she received the Nobel Peace Prize.

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