Trump Announces Capture of Venezuelan President, Charges with Drug Trafficking and Narco-Terrorism

The United States has brought charges against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Moros and several high-ranking officials, accusing them of participating in a decades-long drug trafficking conspiracy that involved massive shipments of cocaine to the United States. The sealed superseding indictment, unsealed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York after President Trump announced the capture of Maduro, details an alleged partnership between Venezuelan leaders and designated narco-terrorist organizations, including the FARC, ELN, Sinaloa Cartel, Zetas, and Tren de Aragua. These organizations are accused of leveraging Venezuelan institutions and officials to transport thousands of tons of cocaine into the United States.

"The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement.… pic.twitter.com/sFa5OC4ZrZ

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 3, 2026

The indictment outlines a systematic corruption within Venezuela, where government positions were allegedly used to facilitate and protect illicit drug operations. According to the charges, Nicolás Maduro Moros, as a member of the National Assembly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and ultimately President, allegedly utilized his authority to enable cocaine trafficking. Specific allegations include providing diplomatic passports to drug traffickers and facilitating the movement of laundered money. The indictment further alleges that Maduro Moros and his associates have used their positions to enrich themselves and their families, perpetuating a cycle of narcotics-based corruption.

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The charges extend to other prominent Venezuelan figures, including Diosdado Cabello Rondón, Minister of the Interior, Justice and Peace; Ramón Rodríguez Chacín, former Minister of the Interior and Justice; Cilia Adela Flores de Maduro, Maduro’s wife and former President of the National Assembly; and Nicolás Ernesto Maduro Guerra, Maduro’s son and a current member of the National Assembly. Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, identified as the leader of Tren de Aragua, is also named as a defendant. These individuals are accused of various roles in the alleged conspiracy, from facilitating drug shipments and protecting traffickers to accepting bribes and orchestrating violent acts to further their operations.

The indictment details a long-standing pattern of alleged criminal activity dating back to at least 1999. It asserts that Venezuelan officials, under the direction of Maduro Moros and his co-conspirators, have partnered with internationally designated terrorist organizations to distribute vast quantities of cocaine. These groups, including the FARC and ELN, are identified as major cocaine producers, while the Sinaloa Cartel and Zetas are implicated in controlling trafficking routes through Mexico and Central America into the United States. Tren de Aragua is accused of assisting with transportation within Venezuela and along its coast.

The superseding indictment specifies numerous overt acts in furtherance of the alleged conspiracies. These include allegations of Maduro Moros selling diplomatic passports to drug traffickers, Flores de Maduro accepting bribes to broker meetings between traffickers and law enforcement officials, and Cabello Rondón allegedly coordinating large cocaine shipments from Venezuela to Mexico. The indictment also details accusations against Maduro Moros and Flores de Maduro of trafficking cocaine seized by Venezuelan law enforcement, utilizing state-sponsored gangs, and ordering kidnappings and murders. Furthermore, it alleges that Cabello Rondón worked with a group to dispatch cocaine in cargo containers and made regular trips to clandestine airstrips controlled by the ELN to ensure the passage of narcotics.

The charges encompass several counts, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. The indictment also includes forfeiture allegations, seeking to seize all property derived from or used in the commission of the alleged offenses. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York is prosecuting the case.

The full indictment from the Department of Justice is below.

Article by Ken Buckler based upon information from the United States District Court, Southern District of New York

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