Nicolas Maduro

Nicolás Maduro Moros
Born:	November 23, 1962 Caracas, Venezuela
Charges:	Narco-terrorism conspiracy, Cocaine importation conspiracy, Possession of machine guns and destructive devices, Conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices
Sentence:	Awaiting trial
Facility:	MDC Brooklyn
Status:	Incarcerated (Pretrial)

Nicolás Maduro Moros (born November 23, 1962) is a Venezuelan politician and former President of Venezuela who became the first sitting head of state to be captured by U.S. military forces and brought to the United States to face federal criminal charges since Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega in 1989. On January 3, 2026, Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were captured during Operation Absolute Resolve, a U.S. military operation in Caracas, and transported to the United States to face charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy and cocaine importation conspiracy. Maduro, who served as President of Venezuela from 2013 until his capture, faces a potential sentence of life in prison if convicted on charges that allege he led a state-sponsored drug trafficking operation that flooded the United States with cocaine for over 25 years. He is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, where he pleaded not guilty to all charges on January 5, 2026.

Summary

Nicolás Maduro rose from humble beginnings as a bus driver and union organizer in Caracas to become the handpicked successor of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, assuming power after Chávez's death in 2013. His presidency was marked by economic collapse, hyperinflation, a humanitarian crisis that displaced nearly 8 million Venezuelans, and increasingly authoritarian governance that drew widespread international condemnation.

The U.S. Department of Justice first indicted Maduro in March 2020 during the first Trump administration, charging him alongside 14 other Venezuelan officials with narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States. The indictment alleged that Maduro and his associates operated a drug trafficking network known as the "Cartel of the Suns," using Venezuela's military and government institutions to facilitate the movement of hundreds of tons of cocaine annually. A superseding indictment unsealed in January 2026 added Maduro's wife Cilia Flores as a defendant and alleged coordination with multiple criminal organizations including Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel, the Zetas, Colombian guerrilla groups FARC and ELN, and the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

The capture of Maduro came months after Venezuela's disputed July 2024 presidential election, in which international observers and opposition groups documented widespread electoral fraud. The opposition collected tally sheets showing their candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, won by more than a two-to-one margin, though Maduro's government refused to release detailed vote counts and declared Maduro the winner.

Background

Early Life and Education

Nicolás Maduro Moros was born on November 23, 1962, in Caracas, Venezuela, in a working-class neighborhood on the western outskirts of the city. His father, Nicolás Maduro García, was a prominent trade union leader who died in a motor vehicle accident in 1989. His mother, Teresa de Jesús Moros, was born in Cúcuta, a Colombian border town, which has led to persistent but unverified claims that Maduro himself was born in Colombia rather than Venezuela.

Maduro attended Liceo José Avalos, a public high school in El Valle, where he was involved in student politics and reportedly served as student union president. However, there are no records confirming he graduated. In the early 1980s, Maduro joined the Socialist League of Venezuela, a Marxist-Leninist party. In 1986, at age 24, he traveled to Cuba for a year of political training at the Escuela Nacional de Cuadros Julio Antonio Mella, an institution run by the Union of Young Communists.

Career as Bus Driver and Union Leader

Upon returning from Cuba, Maduro began working as a bus driver for the Caracas Metro system. He quickly rose to become a union leader, earning a reputation as an effective organizer. This position gave him visibility among Venezuela's working class and connected him to the broader labor movement that would become instrumental in the political changes sweeping the country in the 1990s.

Rise in Venezuelan Politics

Maduro was inspired by Hugo Chávez, the military officer who led a failed coup attempt in 1992. After Chávez was imprisoned, Maduro joined MBR-200, the civilian wing of Chávez's Bolivarian movement, and campaigned for Chávez's release. It was during this period that Maduro met his future wife, Cilia Flores, who headed the legal team that secured Chávez's pardon and release in 1994.

Following Chávez's landslide presidential victory in 1998, Maduro's political career accelerated rapidly. He was elected to the National Assembly in 2000 and became president of that body by 2005. In 2006, Chávez appointed Maduro as Minister of Foreign Affairs, a position he held for six years. In this role, Maduro strengthened Venezuela's ties with Cuba, Iran, Russia, and other nations hostile to U.S. foreign policy interests.

Presidency of Venezuela

In December 2012, as Chávez battled cancer, the Venezuelan leader publicly designated Maduro as his preferred successor, the first time Chávez had named a political heir. Chávez died on March 5, 2013, and Maduro assumed the presidency on an interim basis. He won a special election on April 14, 2013, defeating opposition candidate Henrique Capriles by a razor-thin margin of 50.6% to 49.1%.

Maduro's presidency was marked by severe economic crisis. Venezuela's economy, heavily dependent on oil revenues, collapsed following a sharp drop in global oil prices and steep declines in domestic oil production due to mismanagement. The Maduro government attempted to address the crisis by printing money, triggering years of hyperinflation that exceeded 1,000,000% by 2018. The economy contracted by approximately 75% between 2014 and 2021, and the humanitarian crisis resulted in widespread food and medicine shortages, with nearly 75% of the population losing an average of over 8 kilograms of body weight by 2017.

The crisis drove nearly 8 million Venezuelans to flee the country, the largest displacement crisis in the history of the Western Hemisphere in the past 50 years. Most refugees settled in neighboring Latin American countries, with Colombia hosting approximately 2.8 million Venezuelan migrants.

Indictment, Prosecution, and Sentencing

Original 2020 Indictment

On March 26, 2020, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman of the Southern District of New York announced criminal charges against Nicolás Maduro and 14 other current and former Venezuelan officials. The indictment alleged that Maduro and his co-defendants had operated a "narco-terrorism partnership" with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) for approximately 20 years.

The 2020 indictment charged Maduro with:

• Participation in a narco-terrorism conspiracy (carrying a 20-year mandatory minimum sentence and maximum of life in prison)
• Conspiring to import cocaine into the United States (10-year mandatory minimum, life maximum)
• Using and carrying machine guns and destructive devices during the narco-terrorism and cocaine-importation conspiracies (30-year mandatory minimum, life maximum)
• Conspiring to use and carry machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of the conspiracies (maximum of life in prison)

The indictment named Maduro as a leader of the "Cartel of the Suns" (Cártel de los Soles), an alleged drug trafficking network involving high-ranking members of Venezuela's military, with the name referencing the sun insignia worn by Venezuelan generals. U.S. authorities alleged that by 2004, approximately 250 or more tons of cocaine were transiting Venezuela annually with the protection of corrupt government and military officials.

The U.S. government initially offered a $15 million reward for information leading to Maduro's capture. In 2025, that reward was increased to $50 million.

Superseding Indictment (January 2026)

Following Maduro's capture on January 3, 2026, a superseding indictment was unsealed that added Cilia Flores as a defendant and expanded the alleged conspiracy. The new indictment alleged that the drug trafficking operation coordinated not only with FARC but also with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, Colombian guerrilla group ELN, and Mexican drug trafficking organizations including the Sinaloa Cartel and the Zetas.

The superseding indictment alleged that Maduro and Flores worked together for years to traffic cocaine that had been seized by Venezuelan law enforcement, using "state-sponsored gangs" to protect their operation and ordering "kidnappings, beatings, and murders against those who owed them drug money or otherwise undermined their drug trafficking operation."

In a notable revision, the Justice Department stepped back from characterizing the "Cartel of the Suns" as a structured criminal organization, instead reframing it as "a patronage system and a culture of corruption tied to drug money inside Venezuela's military and political elite."

Capture: Operation Absolute Resolve

On January 3, 2026, U.S. military forces conducted Operation Absolute Resolve, a large-scale military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of Maduro and his wife. The operation, which began around 2:00 a.m. local time in Caracas, involved more than 150 aircraft, including F-22s, F-35s, F-18s, B-1 bombers, and numerous drones.

Delta Force operators, inserted by the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, arrived at Maduro's compound at 1:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time and successfully extracted Maduro and Flores in under three hours. The couple was initially transferred to the USS Iwo Jima and subsequently flown to Guantanamo Bay before being transported to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York, arriving by 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time on the same day.

The operation drew criticism from international law experts and officials at the United Nations who argued the raid violated the UN Charter and Venezuela's sovereignty. Venezuelan officials reported that at least 80 people, including civilians and military personnel, were killed in the operation. The Cuban government stated that 32 members of Cuban military and intelligence agencies were killed.

Arraignment and Court Proceedings

On January 5, 2026, Maduro and Flores appeared before U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein in the Southern District of New York. Both pleaded not guilty to all charges. During the arraignment, Maduro introduced himself as "the president of Venezuela" and stated through a translator that he had been "kidnapped" and was a "prisoner of war."

Flores appeared in court with bandages on her forehead and right temple, and her defense attorney stated she would require a physical evaluation and potential treatment for "significant injuries" sustained during the capture operation.

Maduro is represented by Barry J. Pollack, a prominent criminal defense attorney who previously represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for more than a decade and helped secure a plea deal that led to Assange's release in 2024. Pollack stated that Maduro was "head of a sovereign state and entitled to the privilege" that status ensures and indicated the defense would challenge "the legality of his military abduction."

The next court hearing is scheduled for March 17, 2026.

Potential Sentence

If convicted on all counts, Maduro faces a potential sentence of life in federal prison. The narco-terrorism conspiracy charge alone carries a 20-year mandatory minimum sentence. The weapons charges under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) carry additional mandatory consecutive sentences, with a 30-year minimum for the substantive count. Combined with the 10-year mandatory minimum for cocaine importation conspiracy, Maduro faces decades in prison at minimum if convicted.

Current Status

As of January 2026, Nicolás Maduro remains incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, New York, awaiting trial. His wife Cilia Flores is being held in a separate section of the same facility.

Detention at MDC Brooklyn

Maduro is reportedly being held in what is informally known as the "VIP section" of MDC Brooklyn, located on the east side of the facility. This section has previously housed high-profile defendants including former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Sam Bankman-Fried, and Ghislaine Maxwell.

MDC Brooklyn has faced extensive criticism for its conditions. A 2016 report from the National Association of Women Judges called conditions "unconscionable," citing the absence of fresh air, sunlight, and outdoor time. The facility experienced a week-long power outage in the winter of 2019 that left inmates in freezing conditions, and has been plagued by reports of inmate murders, assaults, and inadequate medical care.

According to legal experts, Maduro is likely subject to restrictive custody protocols. He is expected to spend up to 23 hours locked in his cell daily, with limited movement outside for court appearances, meals, or showers, and restricted access to legal phone calls.

Inside MDC Brooklyn: What Maduro Faces

For those unfamiliar with the reality of detention at MDC Brooklyn, the facility represents a dramatic fall from power for someone who once controlled an entire nation. The jail has been described by former inmates and their attorneys as one of the harshest pretrial detention environments in the federal system. Unlike federal prison camps or even medium-security facilities, MDC Brooklyn operates under strict lockdown protocols designed for defendants deemed flight risks or security concerns.

Sam Mangel, a prison consultant and CNN contributor who has advised numerous high-profile defendants on federal incarceration, appeared on Anderson Cooper 360 to discuss the conditions Maduro now faces at MDC Brooklyn. Mangel, who works with defendants preparing for federal custody, provided insight into the daily reality of detention at the facility:

The contrast between Maduro's previous life—commanding Venezuela's military, residing in the presidential palace, and wielding unchecked authority over a nation of 28 million people—and his current circumstances in a Brooklyn jail cell underscores the dramatic reversal of fortune that federal prosecution can bring, even for heads of state.

Situation in Venezuela

Following Maduro's capture, Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as acting president of Venezuela on January 5, 2026. The Venezuelan government remains in place, and international debate continues over the legitimacy of the U.S. military operation and its implications for Venezuelan sovereignty.

Public Statements and Positions

Throughout the court proceedings, Maduro has maintained that he is a legitimate head of state who was illegally abducted by a foreign power. At his arraignment, he declared through a translator: "I am a decent man, innocent of all charges. I am still president of my country."

His defense attorney Barry Pollack has emphasized that Maduro was "the head of a sovereign state" at the time of his capture and has indicated the defense will challenge the legality of the U.S. military operation that brought him to American soil. Because Maduro was seized by military force rather than through an extradition process, legal experts have noted this could provide grounds for challenging the court's jurisdiction.

Maduro has characterized the U.S. action as a violation of international law and Venezuelan sovereignty. The Venezuelan government and allied nations have condemned the operation as an act of aggression.

Related Prosecutions

Several other Venezuelan officials have been prosecuted in connection with the narco-terrorism case:

Hugo Carvajal Barrios, Venezuela's former military intelligence director, pleaded guilty to narco-terrorism and drug trafficking charges in June 2025 following his extradition from Spain. Carvajal had been a key intelligence figure under both Chávez and Maduro.

Clíver Alcalá Cordones, a retired Venezuelan general, pleaded guilty in June 2023 to providing material support and firearms to the FARC. He was sentenced to 21 years and 6 months in prison in April 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What did Nicolás Maduro do?

Nicolás Maduro is charged with leading a state-sponsored drug trafficking operation in Venezuela for over 25 years. According to U.S. prosecutors, Maduro and his associates used Venezuela's military and government institutions to facilitate the movement of hundreds of tons of cocaine into the United States annually, working with groups including the FARC, Sinaloa Cartel, Zetas, and Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. He is charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons offenses. Maduro served as President of Venezuela from 2013 until his capture by U.S. forces in January 2026.

Q: Where is Nicolás Maduro now?

As of January 2026, Nicolás Maduro is incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, New York, awaiting trial on federal narco-terrorism and drug trafficking charges. He is reportedly being held in a high-security section of the facility that has previously housed other high-profile defendants including Sam Bankman-Fried and Ghislaine Maxwell. His wife Cilia Flores is being held in a separate section of the same facility.

Q: How was Nicolás Maduro captured?

On January 3, 2026, U.S. military forces captured Maduro during "Operation Absolute Resolve," a large-scale military operation in Caracas, Venezuela. The operation involved more than 150 aircraft, including F-22s, F-35s, and B-1 bombers. Delta Force operators extracted Maduro and his wife from their compound in under three hours. The couple was initially transferred to the USS Iwo Jima, then flown to Guantanamo Bay, and finally transported to New York to face federal charges.

Q: What is Nicolás Maduro's potential sentence?

If convicted on all counts, Nicolás Maduro faces a potential sentence of life in federal prison. The narco-terrorism conspiracy charge carries a 20-year mandatory minimum sentence, the cocaine importation conspiracy carries a 10-year mandatory minimum, and the weapons charges under 18 U.S.C. 924(c) carry an additional 30-year mandatory minimum. These mandatory minimums would be served consecutively, meaning Maduro could spend the rest of his life in prison even before considering the maximum sentences.

Q: When was Nicolás Maduro first indicted?

Nicolás Maduro was first indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice on March 26, 2020, during the first Trump administration. The original indictment charged Maduro and 14 other Venezuelan officials with narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, and weapons charges. A superseding indictment was unsealed following his capture in January 2026, which added his wife Cilia Flores as a defendant and expanded the alleged conspiracy to include additional criminal organizations.

Q: What is the Cartel of the Suns?

The "Cartel of the Suns" (Cártel de los Soles) is a term used to describe an alleged drug trafficking network involving high-ranking members of Venezuela's military and government. The name references the sun insignia worn by Venezuelan generals, similar to how American generals wear stars. U.S. prosecutors have characterized it as a patronage system and culture of corruption tied to drug money inside Venezuela's political and military elite, rather than a formal cartel structure. Maduro is accused of being a leader of this alleged network.

Q: Who is Nicolás Maduro's lawyer?

Nicolás Maduro is represented by Barry J. Pollack, a prominent criminal defense attorney based in New York. Pollack previously represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for more than a decade and helped secure a 2024 plea deal that led to Assange's release. Pollack is a past president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He has indicated the defense will challenge the legality of Maduro's military capture.

Q: What was Nicolás Maduro's role in Venezuela?

Nicolás Maduro served as President of Venezuela from 2013 until his capture by U.S. forces in January 2026. He was the handpicked successor of Hugo Chávez, having previously served as Foreign Minister (2006-2012) and Vice President (2012-2013). Before entering politics, Maduro worked as a bus driver for the Caracas Metro and was active in the labor union movement. His presidency was marked by severe economic crisis, hyperinflation, and a humanitarian crisis that displaced nearly 8 million Venezuelans.

Terminology

• Narco-terrorism: The use of drug trafficking to fund or support terrorist activities, or the use of terrorism to facilitate drug trafficking operations. Under U.S. law, narco-terrorism charges can apply when drug proceeds are used to support designated terrorist organizations.

• Superseding indictment: A new indictment that replaces an earlier one, typically adding additional charges, defendants, or allegations based on new evidence or investigative developments.

• Cartel of the Suns (Cártel de los Soles): An alleged drug trafficking network involving members of Venezuela's armed forces and government, named for the sun insignias worn by Venezuelan generals.

• MDC Brooklyn: The Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, the only federal jail in New York City, used to house pretrial defendants facing charges in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.

• FARC: The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia), a Colombian guerrilla group involved in drug trafficking that was designated as a terrorist organization by the United States.

• Tren de Aragua: A Venezuelan criminal gang that originated in the Tocorón prison in Aragua state and has expanded into a transnational criminal organization involved in drug trafficking, extortion, and human smuggling.

See Also

• MDC Brooklyn - Where Maduro is currently detained awaiting trial
• Juan Orlando Hernández - Former President of Honduras convicted of drug trafficking in the same courthouse
• Manuel Noriega - Panamanian leader captured by U.S. forces in 1989, the previous comparable case
• Ghislaine Maxwell - Previously held at MDC Brooklyn in similar conditions
• Narco-Terrorism - The primary charge Maduro faces
• Drug Trafficking - Related federal offense
• Presidential Clemency and Pardons - Executive clemency processes