Nicolás Maduro arrived at the Manhattan courthouse to face narcoterrorism charges

Ousted Venezuelan Leader Nicolás Maduro Arrives at Manhattan Courthouse to Face Narco-Terrorism Charges

New York, January 5, 2026 — Nicolás Maduro, the former president of Venezuela, arrived under heavy security at a federal courthouse in Lower Manhattan on Monday for his initial court appearance, just days after his dramatic capture by U.S. special forces in Caracas.

The 63-year-old Maduro, who was ousted in a U.S. military operation codenamed "Operation Absolute Resolve," was transported in an armored convoy from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he has been held since arriving in the United States on January 3. Flanked by federal agents, Maduro appeared calm as he entered the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse shortly before noon, facing a four-count indictment alleging a decades-long narco-terrorism conspiracy.

U.S. prosecutors accuse Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores—who is also charged and expected to appear separately—of leading a scheme that flooded the United States with thousands of tons of cocaine, partnering with designated terrorist organizations and major drug cartels, including Colombia's FARC and Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel. The superseding indictment, unsealed over the weekend, also names Maduro's son and several high-ranking Venezuelan officials as co-conspirators, charging them with cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and related offenses.

The arraignment before U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein marks a historic moment: the trial of a sitting—or recently deposed—head of state on U.S. soil for drug-related crimes. Legal experts have drawn comparisons to the 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama and capture of Manuel Noriega, who was later convicted on similar charges.

Maduro's capture stemmed from a swift overnight raid on January 3, involving over 150 U.S. aircraft and elite Delta Force operators. President Donald Trump, who authorized the mission, described it as a necessary strike against narcoterrorism, stating that the U.S. would temporarily "run" Venezuela during a transition period. The operation has sparked international controversy, with allies like Cuba reporting casualties among their personnel in Venezuela and condemning the action as an illegal intervention.

Supporters of Maduro in Venezuela have protested the move as a "kidnapping," while Venezuelan exiles in the U.S., particularly in South Florida, celebrated the news. The case revives charges first filed against Maduro in 2020 during Trump's previous term, which offered rewards escalating to $50 million for his arrest.

Maduro is expected to plead not guilty, with his defense likely challenging the legality of his extradition-like rendition. If convicted, he faces potential life imprisonment. The proceedings are set to draw intense global attention as the U.S. Justice Department seeks to hold the former leader accountable for what it calls a "corrupt, illegitimate government" fueled by drug trafficking.

17GEN4.com