NEW YORK — Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are set to make their first appearance in a Manhattan federal courtroom after being captured in a U.S. military operation and brought to the United States to face federal criminal charges, officials say.
Maduro, 63, and Flores, 69, were detained in Venezuela in a surprise raid early January 3 and flown to New York, where they have been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
Prosecutors in the Southern District of New York have charged Maduro and his wife in a superseding indictment that accuses them of narco‑terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and related offences — allegations that stem from a long‑running investigation into state‑sponsored drug trafficking.
Legal Proceedings in Manhattan Federal Court
Maduro and Flores are scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein on Monday at noon local time for an initial hearing. The proceeding will primarily inform the court that they have been formally charged and set the stage for future court dates.
The indictment, first unsealed last weekend, alleges that Maduro presided over a network that facilitated the movement of large quantities of cocaine into the United States during his tenure in power, including partnerships with violent criminal organisations.
Maduro’s defence team is expected to contest the legitimacy of his arrest and challenge whether U.S. courts have jurisdiction, arguing that he retained immunity as a sovereign head of state — a legal defence tied to longstanding principles of international law.
Military Capture and International Reaction
The extraordinary military operation that led to Maduro’s capture was carried out by U.S. special forces in Caracas and approved by President Donald Trump, according to U.S. officials. The raid marked a dramatic escalation in U.S. actions against Maduro’s government, which the United States has long refused to recognise as legitimate.
The capture and detention have drawn widespread international attention. The United Nations Security Council has held emergency discussions about the legality of the U.S. raid, and some allies of Venezuela, including Russia and China, have denounced the operation as a breach of international norms.
Political and Legal Implications
Maduro’s appearance in the U.S. justice system raises complex questions about international law, sovereign immunity and the use of military force in enforcing criminal indictments. Legal experts say that while jurisdiction may be contested, long‑standing U.S. legal precedent often allows courts to proceed when a defendant is physically present on U.S. soil.
The case is also unfolding amid efforts by interim Venezuelan authorities, including Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, to stabilise governance in Caracas and engage with U.S. counterparts.
