Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro appeared in a federal court in New York on Monday to face serious charges related to drug trafficking and weapons offences.
Gatekeepers News reports that Maduro is indicted on four counts that include alleged narcotics and weapons possession and trafficking as part of a long‑running narco‑terrorism conspiracy, according to U.S. prosecutors.
He is joined in the indictment by several co‑defendants, including his wife, Cilia Flores; his son, Ernesto Maduro; Diosdado Rondon, Venezuela’s minister of interior, justice, and peace; Ramon Chachin, a former interior minister; and Héctor Flores, leader of the Tren de Aragua criminal gang.
The U.S. indictment accuses Maduro of using his power in government to work with international drug cartels and traffickers to move vast quantities of cocaine toward the United States, enriching himself, his family, and members of his regime.
During the hearing, Maduro maintained his innocence and denied the accusations, insisting he remained Venezuela’s legitimate leader and was wrongly charged.
He said, “I am not guilty of anything mentioned here. I am an honest man. I am still the president of my country.”
U.S. officials have called the case one of the most significant narcotics prosecutions in recent history, alleging Maduro and his associates collaborated with groups such as the Sinaloa cartel and Tren de Aragua.
The operation to bring Maduro to the United States followed months of rising tensions, with the U.S. government accusing him of running a corrupt regime that facilitated drug shipments and undermined regional security.
The case has sparked international debate, with some governments condemning the capture as a breach of sovereignty and others backing U.S. efforts to tackle transnational crime.
Maduro and his wife are expected to remain in U.S. custody while legal proceedings continue, and the trial could extend into 2027 as evidence is prepared and arguments are made before the court in Manhattan.
