Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro to appear in Manhattan federal court on Monday
Deposted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, attend a campaign rally in Caracas, Venezuela, on July 25, 2024. Credit: AP/Fernando Vergara
Captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro will be arraigned Monday at noon in Manhattan federal court on narco-terrorism conspiracy, drug smuggling conspiracy and weapons charges, according to the New York Southern District court executive.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured by U.S. military forces early Saturday and flown to New York the same day. Flores is facing multiple charges as well and will be arraigned on Monday. They are being held in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn before their first court appearances. The case was assigned to U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein.
"[Maduro] now sits atop a corrupt, illegitimate government that, for decades, has leveraged government power to protect and promote illegal activity, including drug trafficking," the indictment said. "That drug trafficking has enriched and entrenched Venezuela's political and military elite."
Federal prosecutors said that Maduro, his wife and his son were hands-on partners with narco-terrorists in South and Central America.
Maduro allegedly sold diplomatic passports to drug smugglers working for the Mexican cartels to move drug money from Mexico to Venezuela through private planes with diplomatic cover to avoid the scrutiny of law enforcement.
Flores, a longtime Venezuelan politician who was once the country's attorney general, is also charged with drug smuggling conspiracy and weapons counts.
Maduro and Flores "also ordered kidnappings, beatings and murders" against rivals and those who owed them drug money, according to the indictment.
The U.S. attorney's office indicted Maduro in 2020 on similar charges. Federal prosecutors filed a superseding indictment on Saturday, court records show.
Hellerstein will preside over the arraignment of Maduro and his wife. It is unclear who will represent the couple in the case.
"For over 25 years, leaders of Venezuela have abused their positions of public trust and corrupted the once-legitimate institutions to import tons of cocaine into the United States," the indictment said. "[Maduro] is at the forefront of that corruption."
Mixed reactions after U.S. attacks Venezuela Both anger and happiness were felt as many, including LI Venezuelans, reacted to the U.S.-led ouster of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. NewsdayTV's Andrew Ehinger has more.
Mixed reactions after U.S. attacks Venezuela Both anger and happiness were felt as many, including LI Venezuelans, reacted to the U.S.-led ouster of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. NewsdayTV's Andrew Ehinger has more.
