Indictment against Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro, wife unsealed
A federal indictment charging Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, his wife and four others with narco-terrorism conspiracy and other charges has been unsealed and posted online. U.S. Attorney Pam Bondi This follows the couple’s dramatic capture by American forces in their home country on Saturday morning.
“For more than 25 years, Venezuelan leaders abused the public trust and corrupted once-legitimate institutions to import tons of cocaine into the United States,” the indictment alleges.
The indictment was filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. In addition to Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, Maduro’s son Nicolas Ernesto Maduoro Guerra, Diosado Cabello Rondon, Ramon Rodriguez Chachin and Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores are also accused in the indictment. Read the indictment here.
“Defendant Nicolas Maduro Moros sits atop a corrupt, illegitimate government that has used government power for decades to protect and promote illegal activities, including drug trafficking,” the indictment said. The statement was included.
“Drug trafficking has enriched and entrenched Venezuela’s political and military elite, including the Minister of the Interior, Justice and Peace, Diosado Cabello Rondon, and the accused former Minister of the Interior and Justice, Ramon Rodríguez Chachin.”
Guerrero was identified as the leader of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
In addition to the narco-terrorism conspiracy charge, the indictment alleges four additional crimes: cocaine importation conspiracy; possession of machine guns and destructive devices; and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
Representative Thomas MassieA Kentucky Republican criticizes the attack on Venezuela and its justification
“If this action were constitutional, the Attorney General would not be tweeting that they arrested the President of a sovereign nation and his wife for possession of weapons in violation of the 1934 US firearms act,” Massie wrote in a post on social media site X.
