Nicolás Maduro, the President of Venezuela, is scheduled to appear in federal court in New York City at 12 p.m. ET on Monday for his arraignment.
He faces a four-count indictment, including charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons offenses. His wife, Cilia Flores, is also charged in the cocaine conspiracy and related firearms offenses.
The arraignment follows a “large-scale strike” by U.S. forces on Saturday morning that resulted in the capture of Maduro and Flores from their home in Caracas.
President Donald Trump confirmed the operation, which involved transporting the couple via helicopter, the USS Iwo Jima warship, and a plane to New York.
They are currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, a facility known for housing high-profile inmates.
Prosecutors allege that Maduro led a 25-year narco-terrorism conspiracy, leveraging his government position to facilitate the import of “thousands of tons” of cocaine into the United States.
Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that Maduro and Flores “will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts”.
The indictment also names Maduro’s son and a gang leader, among others, as co-defendants.
The capture has drawn mixed international reactions, with Russia and China condemning the U.S. actions as a violation of international law and demanding Maduro’s release.
Conversely, some Latin American countries and Venezuelan opposition figures have praised the move.
The U.N. Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the situation.
