Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Saturday that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had both been indicted on narco-terrorism charges after military actions took place in Venezuela.
Bondi made this statement following President Trump’s declaration of the arrest of Maduro and Flores. After the US strike, Maduro’s location was unknown, and officials in Venezuela were requesting evidence that he was still alive.
Trump is scheduled to speak to the country at 11am.
According to Bondi, Maduro will be charged with conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices directed at the United States.
She stated the pair had been indicted in the Southern District of New York.
“They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts. On behalf of the entire US DOJ, I would like to thank President Trump for having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American People, and a huge thank you to our brave military who conducted the incredible and highly successful mission to capture these two alleged international narco traffickers,” Bondi said in a statement.
Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark), the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, also confirmed Maduro was in US custody. He praised the operation carried out under Trump.
“Nicolas Maduro wasn’t just an illegitimate dictator; he also ran a vast drug-trafficking operation,” Cotton stated. “That’s why he was indicted in US court nearly six years ago for drug trafficking and narco-terrorism.”
Cotton mentioned he had recently discussed the operation with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio had previously served as the leading Republican on the Intelligence Committee and is a senator from Florida.
“I commend President Trump and our brave troops and law-enforcement officers for this incredible operation,” Cotton said. “The interim government in Venezuela must now decide whether to continue the drug trafficking and colluding with adversaries like Iran and Cuba or whether to act like a normal nation and return to the civilised world. I urge them to choose wisely.”
For months, the Trump administration has been increasing pressure on the Maduro government, including by intercepting vessels in the Caribbean which it claimed were transporting drugs to the United States.
