Deposed Venezuelan Leaders Charged With Narco-Terrorism & Weapons Offenses To Be Arraigned In Manhattan
Monday, January 5, 2026, 8:00 A.M. ET. 4 Minute Read, By Jennifer Hodges, Political Editor, & Art Fletcher, Executive Editor: Englebrook Independent News,
MANHATTAN, NY.- Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Moros and his wife, Cilia Adela Flores de Maduro, are scheduled to make their initial appearance today, Monday, January 5, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, following their dramatic capture in Caracas during a joint U.S. law enforcement and military operation over the weekend.
The arrests, carried out in the early morning hours of Saturday, January 3, 2026, mark the culmination of a years-long federal pursuit stemming from a March 2020 indictment that charged Maduro, Flores, and senior members of Venezuela’s ruling apparatus with large-scale narcotics trafficking and terrorism-related offenses. Both defendants had remained fugitives from U.S. justice since those charges were unsealed nearly six years ago.
Joint U.S. Operation In Caracas;
According to U.S. officials, the operation that led to the arrests involved a coordinated effort between the U.S. Department of Justice, federal law enforcement agencies, and U.S. military forces, executed with precision in Venezuela’s capital.
Maduro and Flores were taken into custody at a secured location in Caracas without publicly reported resistance. Following their detention, the couple were transported under military guard to a U.S. naval asset offshore before being flown to the United States. They are currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn pending their court proceedings.
U.S. officials described the mission as a necessary action to enforce federal arrest warrants that had remained outstanding since 2020.
Superseding Indictment Details;
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan have filed a superseding indictment expanding upon the original charges. The indictment accuses Maduro, Flores, and additional co-conspirators of:
- Narco-terrorism conspiracy
- Cocaine importation conspiracy
- Possession of machineguns and destructive devices
- Conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices
The charges allege that Maduro served as a principal leader of the Cartel de los Soles, a drug trafficking organization accused of coordinating multi-ton shipments of cocaine in partnership with foreign terrorist and criminal networks, with the stated aim of flooding the United States with illicit narcotics.
Flores, a former Venezuelan legislator and longtime political power broker, is accused of facilitating and concealing the cartel’s operations, leveraging her official positions to protect the enterprise from law enforcement scrutiny.
Background: Years As Fugitives;
Maduro assumed Venezuela’s presidency in 2013 following the death of Hugo Chávez and ruled amid widespread allegations of corruption, human rights abuses, and economic collapse. His administration became increasingly isolated internationally, with the United States and several allied nations refusing to recognize his legitimacy following disputed elections.
In March 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice publicly charged Maduro and members of his inner circle, offering multimillion-dollar rewards for information leading to their capture. Despite those efforts, Maduro and Flores remained beyond the reach of U.S. authorities until this weekend.
Today’s Arraignment;
Maduro and Flores are scheduled to appear today before a Federal Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, where they will be formally arraigned on the superseding indictment.
The proceeding is expected to include the formal reading of charges, advisement of rights, and initial discussions regarding detention. Prosecutors are anticipated to seek continued detention pending trial, citing the seriousness of the charges and the defendants’ previous fugitive status.
Defense attorneys are expected to challenge both the jurisdiction of the court and the circumstances surrounding the arrests, including arguments related to sovereignty, immunity, and international law. U.S. courts, however, have historically held that a defendant’s presence on U.S. soil permits prosecution regardless of the manner of capture.
International And Legal Implications;
The arrests have sent shockwaves through diplomatic and legal circles worldwide. While some governments have criticized the operation as a violation of Venezuelan sovereignty, others have praised the United States for pursuing accountability against what prosecutors describe as one of the most powerful state-sponsored narcotics operations in modern history.
Legal experts say the case is poised to become one of the most closely watched federal prosecutions in decades, testing the limits of international criminal law, sovereign immunity, and the reach of U.S. narcotics statutes.
What Comes Next;
Following today’s arraignment, the case is expected to proceed into a prolonged pre-trial phase marked by jurisdictional challenges, motions to dismiss, and extensive evidentiary disputes. The outcome could set far-reaching precedents for future prosecutions involving former heads of state accused of transnational crimes.
Editor’s Note:
This report has been verified by Jennifer Hodges and Art Fletcher. Englebrook Independent News will continue to monitor court filings, official Department of Justice statements, and defense motions as this historic prosecution moves forward. Updates will be published as new, verifiable information becomes available.
