Celia Flores and his wife were taken to the court by helicopter according to the images coming from The presidential couple of Venezuela will go through the registration and identification process and will then be taken to his room, where the official recitation is expected to proceed.
BREAKING: Vehicles carrying Nicolas Maduro have now set off from the detention facility where he was held. He will appear in New York court today
— Sky News (@SkyNews)
From the published photos, it appears that Maduro is being transported wearing a brown jumpsuit and handcuffs.
What charges will Maduro face?
According to US Attorney General Pam Bondi, Nicolas Maduro faces charges of:
- Narco-terrorism conspiracy
- Cocaine importation conspiracy
- Possession of machine guns and destructive devices
- Conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the US
According to the indictment, Maduro and his associates “provided cover to the authorities and logistical support” to major drug trafficking groups, such as the Sinaloa Cartel and the Tren de Aragua gang. These criminal organizations sent profits to high-ranking officials who protected them in return.
Among other specific actions, Maduro is accused of selling Venezuelan diplomatic passports to known drug traffickers and facilitating flights under diplomatic cover to transport drug proceeds from Mexico to Venezuela.
The case was brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, a division of the Justice Department known for its tough prosecutions.
The same prosecutor’s office had indicted Maduro in 2020, on the same four charges. The updated indictment released Saturday includes some new details and accomplices, including Maduro’s wife, Celia Flores.
The first lady is accused of ordering kidnappings and murders, as well as accepting bribes in 2007 to arrange a meeting between drug traffickers and the director of Venezuela’s National Anti-Narcotics Office.
