Authored by T.J. Muscaro via The Epoch Times,
Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York, as announced by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on January 3.
“Nicolás Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States,” Bondi stated on X.
https://x.com/AGPamBondi/status/2007428087143686611
“They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.”
Bondi made the announcement shortly after U.S. armed forces captured Maduro and Flores in Caracas on January 3.
“On behalf of the entire U.S. DOJ, I would like to thank President [Donald] Trump for having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American People, and a huge thank you to our brave military who conducted the incredible and highly successful mission to capture these two alleged international narco traffickers.”
This announcement follows comments from Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated the operation in Venezuela was necessary to support law enforcement executing an arrest warrant for Maduro.
Lee further stated that Maduro was “arrested by U.S. personnel to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States.”
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau also reiterated that Maduro is expected to face legal proceedings.
“The tyrant is gone,” Landau posted on social media.
https://x.com/DeputySecState/status/2007393216535081418?s=20
“He will now—finally—face justice for his crimes.”
In 2020, Maduro and 14 other Venezuelan officials were charged with narco-terrorism, corruption, drug trafficking, and other offenses in New York City, Miami, and Washington, D.C.
“The scope and magnitude of the drug trafficking alleged was made possible only because Maduro and others corrupted the institutions of Venezuela and provided political and military protection for the rampant narco-terrorism crimes described in our charges,” U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman stated in a 2020 press release.
“As alleged, Maduro and the other defendants expressly intended to flood the United States with cocaine in order to undermine the health and wellbeing of our nation. Maduro very deliberately deployed cocaine as a weapon.”
The Epoch Times has reached out to the Department of Justice to clarify whether Bondi was referencing the 2020 indictment.
