Captured Venezuelan dictator Maduro faces New York federal judge after dramatic palace raid

Nicolas Maduro, the dethroned Venezuelan dictator indicted connected large cause trafficking and weapons charges successful the United States, is expected successful a national tribunal successful New York Monday for his arraignment, days aft American forces captured him successful his ain statesmanlike palace.

The hearing, successful which Maduro volition beryllium formally told the charges against him, is acceptable for noon. His wife, Cilia Flores, was arrested successful the raid and is besides owed successful court. Like her husband, she was a high-level authoritative successful Venezuela's socialist regime.

Maduro faces 4 charges: narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of instrumentality guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to person instrumentality guns and destructive devices.

"For implicit 25 years, leaders of Venezuela person abused their positions of nationalist spot and corrupted once-legitimate institutions to import tons of cocaine into the United States," national prosecutors wrote successful a superseding indictment unveiled implicit the weekend.

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Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro gestures adjacent to his woman Cilia Flores arsenic they permission the Capitolio, location of the National Assembly, aft taking the oath during the statesmanlike inauguration successful Caracas connected Jan. 10, 2025. (Juan Barreto/AFP via Getty Images)

Flores faces three: cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of instrumentality guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to person instrumentality guns and destructive devices.

Similar proceedings are usually short. There won’t beryllium immoderate witnesser testimony, the defendants volition person a accidental to participate their pleas, and the justice volition acceptable the adjacent tribunal day and code the taxable of pretrial release.

Bail is highly unlikely, according to ineligible experts.

VENEZUELAN LEADER MADURO LANDS IN NEW YORK AFTER BEING CAPTURED BY US FORCES ON DRUG CONSPIRACY CHARGES

President Donald Trump shared a photograph of captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima aft strikes connected Venezuela, connected Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026.  (Donald Trump via Truth Social)

"I deliberation I person a amended accidental of winning the adjacent Power Ball," David Gelman, a Philadelphia-area defence attorney, told Fox News Digital. "When [former Panama dictator Manuel] Noriega was arraigned, helium didn’t get bail."

Noriega was likewise deposed by U.S. forces successful 1989 connected racketeering and cause trafficking charges.

Maduro is being held successful the aforesaid national jailhouse successful Brooklyn arsenic accused assassin Luigi Mangione.

JONATHAN TURLEY: WHY CAPTURE OF MADURO DIDN'T REQUIRE APPROVAL FROM CONGRESS

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro holds a ceremonial sword said to person belonged to independency leader Simon Bolivar during a government-organized civic-military march successful Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. (Ariana Cubillos/AP Photo)

"Years ago, helium was indicted successful U.S. national tribunal for narco-terrorism," said Royal Oakes, a Los Angeles-based lawyer and ineligible analyst.

Federal prosecutors secured a expansive assemblage indictment successful 2020. More recently, the authorities placed a $50 cardinal bounty connected his caput arsenic President Donald Trump urged him to measurement down.

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The enactment of New York’s Southern District Court to grip the lawsuit could person a important interaction connected however it plays out, Oakes said.

New Yorkers conscionable elected an openly socialist mayor, but helium said the occurrence of Maduro's seizure without immoderate American casualties could besides play a role.

"The result of the ngo could besides signifier nationalist sentiment and frankincense a assemblage verdict," Oakes said.

Fox News' Maria Paronich contributed to this report.