In a dramatic escalation, the United States has launched military strikes against Venezuela, captured its president, and formally indicted him in a New York courtroom on narco-terrorism charges.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Saturday that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were indicted in the Southern District of New York. They face charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons offenses.
The indictment follows immediate military action. President Donald Trump confirmed that U.S. forces conducted strikes and that Maduro and his wife were subsequently captured and removed from the country. Venezuela denounced the operations as "grave military aggression."
The legal charges culminate years of U.S. pressure. Washington has long accused Maduro of collaborating with drug cartels to flood the U.S. with narcotics, placed a $15 million bounty on him, and refused to recognize his government's legitimacy. Maduro has consistently denied the allegations, framing them as a pretext for regime change.
The moves have triggered sharp international reactions. Russia condemned the U.S. actions as "armed aggression," while the EU, which also questions Maduro's legitimacy, urged restraint and called for a peaceful political transition.