Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced multiple charges against Nicolás Maduro and his wife, including alleged involvement in narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and possession of machine guns, offences directed against the United States.

Hours after capturing Venezuelan president and his wife Cilia Flores in "large-scale" military strikes on early Saturday (Jan 03), the United States announced drug, terrorism charges against Nicolas Maduro, saying that the couple have been indicted in the Southern District of New York. The US military action comes after months of heightened pressure on the oil-rich country through a series of military strikes on Venezuelan vessels accused of smuggling drugs.

"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 Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States," Attorney General Pamela Bondi wrote in a post on X.

"They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts. 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, 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," she added.

Also Read: ‘It was a brilliant operation,’ says Trump after US captures Maduro and his wife

In March 2020, the United States issued formal charges against Nicolás Maduro for the first time. The US Department of Justice, on March 26, 2020, unsealed an indictment in the Southern District of New York charging Maduro and several Venezuelan officials with Narco-terrorism, drug trafficking and corruption-related offences. Washignton also put a bounty of $15 million for information leading to Maduro's arrest or conviction.

Beginning in August 2025, the Trump administration undertook several measures against the ideological rival Nicholas Maduro, including doubling the reward on his head to $50 million and issuing public statements citing Maduro’s involvement in drug trafficking and collaboration with criminal organisations.

Leading up to the eventual capture of the Venezuelan president, the United States carried out a series of military strikes in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean against Venezuelan vessels that it claims are drug‑smuggling boats tied to Venezuelan cartels since September last year.

The US military carried out at least 39 attacks killing over 100 people as part of a pressure campaign leading to Saturday's strikes.

Driven by a deep interest in international politics and geo-economics, Ajaypal Choudhary writes on and analyses a wide range of subjects from geopolitics and the global economy to ...Read More