US Arrests Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro and Wife, Cilia Flores: What Charges Do They Face?

       

  

   Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro and his

 wife, Cilia Flores, are facing multiple criminal

 charges in the United States following a dramatic

 overnight US military operation that reportedly

 led to their capture and removal from the

 country.

The operation, carried out under the

 administration of former US President Donald

 Trump, was described as a swift military strike

 targeting Caracas and other strategic locations.

 US officials said the action was part of

 Washington’s broader crackdown on what it calls

 “narco-terrorism” in Venezuela.

According to US authorities, Maduro and Flores,

 alongside other senior Venezuelan officials, are

 accused of transforming the country into a

 criminal network that collaborated with

 international drug trafficking organisations.

 These groups allegedly include Mexico’s Sinaloa

 Cartel and the Tren de Aragua gang, with the aim

 of transporting large quantities of cocaine into

 the United States, the Associated Press reported.

Allegations Against Cilia Flores

Cilia Flores, Venezuela’s First Lady and a former

 high-ranking government official, is accused of

 playing an active role in the alleged conspiracy.

 US prosecutors claim she helped facilitate

 connections between drug traffickers and top

 Venezuelan officials while benefiting financially

 from proceeds linked to drug trafficking.

     Flores has been charged alongside President

 Maduro, their son, and three other alleged co-

conspirators.

        US Position

US officials said the arrests followed months of

 increased pressure on Venezuela, including

 expanded naval deployments and targeted

 operations against suspected drug-smuggling

 routes across the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.

Former President Donald Trump stated that the

 intervention was necessary to dismantle what he

 described as a “narco-state” and to hold Maduro

 accountable. The US government maintains that

 Maduro is not the legitimate leader of Venezuela

 and argues that his administration functions as a

 criminal organisation aligned with transnational

 gangs. Reported by Hindustan Times.