In a significant escalation of tensions, U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi has publicly announced the indictment of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores. The charges, filed in the Southern District of New York, encompass multiple severe allegations, including conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, and illegal possession of machine guns and destructive devices.
Bondi extended formal gratitude to President Donald Trump for his directive in pursuing international accountability. She also lauded U.S. military personnel for executing what she characterized as an ‘incredible and highly successful mission’ designed to apprehend the couple, whom she labeled as ‘alleged international narco traffickers.’
The Department of Justice has formally endorsed the operation, with Bondi underscoring that these unprecedented charges against a sitting head of state demonstrate the United States’ unwavering resolve to combat transnational criminal enterprises and uphold justice on a global scale. This legal action marks a pivotal moment in the fraught relationship between the two nations.