Detained Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is expected to appear before a federal court in Manhattan on Monday, according to a US Justice Department official cited by Reuters.
The anticipated court appearance comes after US authorities announced that Maduro had been arrested in Venezuela and transferred to the United States, in a move that has triggered widespread international reaction.
Charges Filed in Southern District of New York
US Attorney General Pam Bondi said that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been formally charged in the Southern District of New York.
In statements posted on social media, Bondi said the couple would soon face what she described as the “maximum penalties of American justice” on US soil and before US courts. She added that the indictments follow long-standing federal investigations.
Trump Confirms Arrest During Raids
Former US President Donald Trump said that US forces captured Maduro and Flores during raids carried out in Venezuela, confirming the arrest publicly and framing it as a major step in Washington’s efforts against what it describes as narco-linked criminal networks.
Long-Running Federal Case
Maduro faces a series of serious charges, including narco-terrorism, conspiracy to traffic cocaine, and weapons-related offenses, under a long-running federal case in New York.
He was first indicted in March 2020 in the Southern District of New York. Since then, the US government has repeatedly increased the reward offered for information leading to his arrest, raising it several times until it reached $50 million in August of last year.
High-Profile Legal and Political Implications
Legal experts say Maduro’s appearance in a Manhattan federal court would mark an unprecedented moment in US–Latin American relations, given his status as a sitting head of state at the time of indictment. The case is expected to draw intense scrutiny, both for its legal complexity and for its broader geopolitical implications.
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