US Charges Against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro: Accusations and Supporting Evidence
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was seized by US forces from a compound in Caracas and appeared in a New York court, where he pleaded not guilty to multiple charges. The case is being handled in accordance with US law and evidence, similar to any other proceeding in New York. Prosecutors allege that Maduro, along with his wife Cilia Flores, their son Nicolás Ernesto Maduro Guerra, and several accomplices, participated in a extensive cocaine-trafficking conspiracy. They are accused of partnering with cartels that the US has designated as terrorist organizations. According to the charges, the defendants abused their positions of public trust and corrupted legitimate institutions to facilitate the importation of tons of cocaine into the United States.
Maduro has rejected the accusations, describing them as a pretext for imperial access to Venezuela's oil reserves. During his court appearance, his lawyer argued that he should be granted immunity as a sovereign leader and that the US seizure was illegal. Maduro referred to himself as a kidnapped president and a prisoner of war. His wife, Cilia Flores, also pleaded not guilty and appeared in good spirits, with her attorney expressing eagerness to challenge the evidence.
The 25-page indictment outlines a conspiracy that allegedly began in 1999, when Maduro was first elected to public office. The charged individuals include Maduro, Flores, Maduro Guerra, former interior ministers Diosdado Cabello Rondón and Ramon Rodriguez Chacin, and gang leader Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores of the Tren de Aragua. The US is offering rewards for information leading to the arrests of Cabello Rondón and Guerrero Flores, the latter of whom was charged in New York in December with racketeering, drug importation, and other crimes. Following the US raid, Cabello Rondón called on Venezuelans to trust the leadership and the military.
The six defendants face four counts in total: engaging in a narco-conspiracy involving designated terrorist groups, conspiring to traffic cocaine into the US, and possessing and using illegal weapons such as machine guns to further the conspiracy. They are accused of collaborating with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the Sinaloa and Zetas cartels, and the Tren de Aragua, all of which were designated as terrorist groups by the US in February 2025.
Prior to assuming the presidency in 2013, Maduro is alleged to have provided passports to drug traffickers and diplomatic cover for planes used by money launderers to transport drug proceeds from Mexico back to Venezuela. Once in office, he reportedly allowed the drug trade to expand for his personal benefit, as well as that of his regime and family. Flores, while serving as leader of the National Assembly, is accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, including kickbacks to ensure the safe passage of drug shipments. The couple is further charged with commanding state-sponsored gangs to carry out kidnappings, beatings, and murders against individuals who owed drug money or threatened their operations.
Cabello Rondón is alleged to have worked with Colombian drug traffickers to enable massive cocaine shipments to Mexico and the US. Rodriguez Chacin reportedly maintained an estate that housed a Farc encampment and training school, accepting bribes to protect it from law enforcement actions. Maduro Guerra is accused of making regular visits to Margarita Island on planes carrying packages believed to contain drugs. In 2017, he allegedly shipped hundreds of kilograms of cocaine to Miami, discussed low-quality cocaine shipments destined for New York, arranged a 500-kilogram shipment that was unloaded near Miami, and used scrap metal containers to smuggle cocaine into New York ports.
Maduro Guerra has condemned the US operation, calling it a direct threat to global political stability and warning that normalizing the kidnapping of a head of state puts all countries at risk. Prosecutors are seeking the forfeiture of the defendants' property and money. The next court hearing is scheduled for March 17 before US District Court Judge Alvin Hellerstein.
Regarding the evidence, the indictment provides detailed allegations but does not specify the underlying proof in depth, which is typical in international narcotics cases where much of the information remains confidential or classified. A defense attorney noted that indictments often present conclusions rather than exhaustive evidence, and in large-scale cases like this, sensitive materials are handled securely. Portions of the trial may be closed to the public, requiring security clearances for the defense to review certain evidence. Prosecutors have been building this case for over a decade, which gives them a significant advantage in preparation.
Legal experts have raised concerns that the US seizure of Maduro may violate the UN Charter and international law. However, under domestic US law, the trial is likely to proceed, as courts typically do not dismiss cases based on how a defendant was brought into custody. Attempts to reach Maduro's attorney for further comment were unsuccessful.