According to the declassified indictment, Mr. Maduro is accused of running a "corrupt, illegal" government, existing and operating based on a transnational drug trafficking network, bringing thousands of tons of cocaine into the US for many years.
The arrest of Mr. Maduro and his wife, Ms. Cilia Flores, in a military operation that took place in the early morning of January 3 in Venezuela was described by US officials as a step to serve the law enforcement process of the Department of Justice.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi said on social network X that Mr. Maduro and his wife "will soon face the full power of US justice, on US soil and in US courts".
According to the indictment, Mr. Maduro was prosecuted along with his wife, son and 3 others. The Venezuelan President alone faces 4 charges, including: Drug terrorism conspiracy (using drug trafficking to finance terrorism), conspiracy to import cocaine into the US, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
These allegations are similar to the indictment filed in 2020 at the Manhattan Federal Court, under the first presidential term of Donald Trump.
However, the newly declassified indictment on January 3 added charges against Ms. Cilia Flores. This file was filed secretly at the Federal Court of Southern New York right before Christmas.
The indictment alleges that Mr. Maduro cooperated with "some drug lords and the most violent and notorious drug terrorist organizations in the world" to facilitate the transportation of thousands of tons of cocaine into the US.
US officials accuse large drug trafficking organizations such as the Sinaloa and Tren de Aragua gangs of working directly with the Venezuelan government, then transferring profits to senior officials in exchange for protection and support.
According to court documents, Mr. Maduro is accused of allowing "cocaine-based corruption" to develop for personal gain, the interests of members of the ruling government and members of his family.
US authorities estimate that by 2020, about 250 tons of cocaine will be transported through Venezuelan territory each year, through high-speed ships, fishing boats, container ships or aircraft taking off from secret runways.
The indictment also stated that Mr. Maduro and his wife are accused of ordering the kidnapping, assault and murder of people believed to be drug debtors or harming drug trafficking activities. Among the cases mentioned is the death of a local drug lord in Caracas.
Regarding Ms. Cilia Flores, the indictment accuses her of receiving hundreds of thousands of USD in bribes in 2007 to arrange a meeting between a large-scale drug lord and the head of the Venezuelan National Anti-Drug Agency.
According to the agreement accused of corruption, this drug lord agreed to pay monthly bribes to the above-mentioned official, along with about 100,000 USD for each flight carrying cocaine to ensure safety. Part of this money is said to have been transferred to Ms. Flores.
The indictment also reiterates the case involving Ms. Flores' grandsons, who in 2015 recordings with US government secret sources discussed plans to transport hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from the presidential plane storage area in Venezuela.
The two were later sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2017, before being released in 2022 in a prisoner exchange agreement with the US.
