The U.S. Department of Justice has filed charges against Maduro and Flores, which could result in up to four life sentences for them. The document claims that for 25 years, Venezuelan leaders have used their powers to illegally import large quantities of cocaine into the United States.
In addition to Maduro and Flores, the list of defendants also includes their son, former Justice Minister Ramon Rodriguez Chacin, Minister of Interior and Justice Diosdado Cabello Rondon, and the leader of the Tren de Aragua gang, Hector Rastanford Guerrero Flores.
Earlier, reports emerged of a series of explosions that occurred in Caracas on the night of January 3, when international agencies reported large-scale airstrikes on the Venezuelan capital.
Thus, Nicolas Maduro and his wife were taken to the United States after the operation.
In early September 2025, the U.S. president dispatched eight warships to the southern Caribbean under the pretext of combating drug trafficking. Maduro characterized these actions as a "hostile siege" and appealed to the UN for protection of Venezuela's sovereignty. In response, Donald Trump stated that American military forces had sunk a Venezuelan drug boat in the Caribbean and ordered the cessation of all diplomatic relations with Venezuela. He also declared that the U.S. would continue its fight against drug trafficking beyond its borders without the need for Congressional approval.
