The United States has formally charged captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, to court following their dramatic arrest amid the ongoing Venezuela crisis, U.S. authorities announced on Sunday.
According to official statements from Washington, the couple has been arraigned before a U.S. federal court, where prosecutors filed multiple criminal counts bordering on drug trafficking, narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation, and related transnational crimes. The charges stem from longstanding U.S. allegations that the Venezuelan leader and his inner circle were involved in facilitating large-scale drug shipments into North America.
U.S. President Donald Trump, confirming the court action, declared that Maduro and his wife would remain in U.S. custody pending trial, stressing that “no individual is above the law, regardless of position or power.” He added that the prosecution marks a decisive step in Washington’s efforts to combat international drug networks allegedly shielded by state actors.
Sources familiar with the case disclosed that the defendants were brought under heavy security to a federal courthouse, where preliminary proceedings were conducted, including the reading of charges and an order for their continued detention. U.S. prosecutors are expected to push for a lengthy prison sentence if the accused are found guilty.
The development has sent shockwaves across Latin America and beyond, triggering strong reactions from Caracas, where pro-Maduro loyalists described the action as an “illegal abduction and judicial aggression,” while opposition figures hailed it as a turning point in Venezuela’s troubled political history.
International observers say the court appearance of a sitting—or recently removed—foreign president in the United States is unprecedented, raising serious diplomatic, legal, and geopolitical questions. Emergency consultations are reportedly underway at regional and global levels as the situation continues to unfold.
As of press time, U.S. authorities insist the judicial process will proceed in line with American law, while Venezuela’s political future remains uncertain amid the fast-moving crisis.
This is a developing story. More details shortly.
